Joy Division
by Lucy Kay
Summary: Molly has been on Castanet for three years, keeping to herself. But at a party one night, she meets a mysterious stranger, and she can't get him out of her mind... for the next three years. The ups and downs in the love story of Molly and Julius. New, scary, and absolutely fabulous as long as they can keep it. Slice of life, fluff, drama. Picture is not mine. Complete! Thank you!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am not associated with the makers of the Harvest Moon franchise or their affiliates. This is a fan-made, fictional, non-profit story written for the entertainment of others. And to maybe see a lesson or two between the words.

This is probably the most realistic thing I will ever write. It's something I've wanted to do, but I've been too busy to try, so this was written in its entirety off of the internet on my own time. That means updates will come routinely every other day or so. No long-awaited updating! Yay!

As a quick warning, I don't hold back on language. It's not a rapid fire thing – it's not in every chapter. When things get heated between characters though, don't get too surprised to see some upper level curses. Or just some characters in particular have shallow vocabulary. So no kiddies! (If you're into censoring but hey, whatever.)

Protagonist is Molly because we're once again in the Animal Parade universe. I swear I can't escape it. I love it too much.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy. :)

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**Chapter One  
Tuesday, Fall 17****th**

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Fall leaves tumbled across the cobblestones under the farmer's feet. She tugged at her pink party dress, holding it against the strong wind. Her hair was chaos after her long walk from her farm; the brown waves smacking her every which way and getting stuck to her wet, painted lips. In short, she was a right proper mess for her most important debut to date.

Molly jingled the keys to her house in her hand from nerves. She stood before the big doors to the Brass Bar, the sun rippling down in rays through the fast passing clouds. Biting her lip, the brunette could hear the raucous laughter of men inside. Of course, she'd have to get through them to get to the back… but it wasn't something she was looking forward to.

_Stop being such a sissy!_ She scolded herself, clenching a fist with determination. _No one's going to say anything… Just keep your head down and find Kathy…_

Molly was about to push the door open when she should have pulled, and it came straight at her. The irritable, peach-haired chef stumbled at the sight of her. He skirted around her since Molly was frozen with surprise at almost being struck.

"Sorry," he muttered, easily dodging her and digging in his pockets. Molly heard the strike of a lighter and turned her head, watching as the man in the white dress shirt struggled to light a cigarette against the wind.

Realizing she looked ridiculous and she was still holding her stupid keys, she jammed them into her shoulder bag and caught the door before it closed. Taking a deep breath – the noise inside already doubled in volume – she took a tentative step inside.

Drinks were splashing around and all the men in town were clapping a brawny guy on the shoulder. They were all dressed for a formal party, but jackets had already been discarded and ties hung loose about their necks. Sleeves were rolled up and alcohol was in hand.

Of course, this was the bachelor party for Owen. He would be a married man by the end of the weekend, so it was the last 'hoorah.' Molly wasn't interested in this party at all. This party was loud and scary and people would—

Molly was suddenly shoved to the side. She became stiff. The offending man was quick to turn around and see who he accidentally backed into. He was tall with grey shaggy hair and a long pointed nose. Owen's grand-father. "Sorry about that. Just comin' in?"

"Um, yeah," Molly's tiny voice answered. "Where's Kathy?"

"Girl party is in the back," he pointed one of his wrinkled thumbs over his shoulder.

"Thanks, sir," Molly nodded, quickly taking his direction.

She twisted and curved her way through the thick crowd of black pants and hearty laughter. A boy named Luke from the Carpenter's shop nearly spilled his drink on her. He was just as clumsy as she was, so it wasn't a surprise. Still, he apologized, and Molly quickly made her way through. The journey felt much longer than it was. By the time she reached the door to the back room, Molly just knew she was sweating already.

Molly opened the old door and closed it quickly behind her. Almost immediately, the outside was muted and gone. In here, there was country music in the background and girlish chatter. Someone laughed a little too loud, but it was quick to end. A buffet table of food was spread out against one wall and all the furniture that was normally in the room was cleared away so rickety metal chairs could replace it. Women occupied these, holding Dixie cups of punch, milk, and water.

Of course, no alcohol was permitted at Kathy's bachelorette party. Though the waitress was known to love cocktails and appreciate a fine wine, everyone also knew that she was a good season pregnant. It was really starting to show now, and all of the women in town were cooing over her.

Ending her observations of the room, Molly shifted her feet awkwardly at the door. Kathy caught a glimpse of her and waved. She was chatting with Yolanda and Colleen from the Ocarina Inn, but excused herself so she could greet Molly. Taking Molly's sweaty hand in a generous hand shake, the blonde held a cup of water in the other and wore a large grin on her face. "Well, hey, Molly! Thought you'd never make it! Glad you came."

Molly smiled, feeling very self-conscious of her sweaty hand that was still gripped in Kathy's. "It's a very nice party, Kathy. Congratulations, too."

Molly's hand was finally freed. Kathy nodding knowingly, swaying the blonde ponytail at the top of her head. She looked down at the bump of her stomach. "Thanks! It's so bizarre, you know? I never thought I'd be a mother so soon… But it's really great. No regrets!"

The farmer envied the girl's beauty and confidence, but it was in an admiring way - not bitter. "Um… any names yet?"

"Oh, hundreds!" Kathy rolled her eyes. "Everyone and their mother has a suggestion – literally! I actually set up a box over in the corner there, see?" Molly nodded appropriately, catching sight of the small cardboard box on the table by the drinks. "People can just write down names they like on some paper and toss 'em in the box. I figured that Owen and I could go through them later, you know? Could make it fun!"

Molly smiled again. "That's a good idea! I might try it…"

"I'll save you some time – no flower names. Can't stomach them," Kathy confided, pointedly looking at Ruth, the woman from Marimba Farm. In a lower voice, she said: "I mean, I know they're farmers and all, but if they say 'Daisy' or 'Pansy' again, I think the kid's going to throw up inside of me."

Molly laughed, feeling a bit more at home with her humor. "Well, I promise not to suggest any produce. Or anything I might name a cow."

Kathy laughed and patted Molly on the back. "Looking forward to what you have in mind! Okay, see you around, Molly. Have fun!"

As soon as she came by with her small talk, Kathy had left to go find more small talk. Molly was slightly exhausted just watching her repeating the same things, straining to have the biggest smile all day… Hosting parties was difficult.

Timidly, Molly looked towards the food and decided she wasn't hungry enough for any of the heavy potato or bread dishes. She inched her way to the other end of the room, waving back when Renee spotted her. Molly stopped by the desserts, her weakness, and snatched a sugar cookie. She munched on it as she passed the drink table. The box of names sat there with a thin slot at the top. Molly could see folded papers in the light at the top. It was nearly full. _Just like Castanet to be full of opinions._

Shaking her head, she finished her cookie and stooped over the table. She grabbed a stray pencil and one of the slips of paper, hastily scribbling down her answer and folding it. Molly slipped the paper in the slot and smacked it to make it go down.

_There, that was done. Now… what to do?_

There was an empty chair next to the islanders Sue and her daughter Selena, but Molly wouldn't know what to talk to them about. She had never visited their home on Toucan Island, and she only knew who they were by name and appearance. It would be rather awkward to introduce herself after three years… Besides, Selena intimidated her. The dancer was beautiful – gifted with red hair against her sun-kissed skin. Selena was exotic and interesting and alluring. But at the moment, she was sitting next to her mother, slouched in her seat and huffily eyeing her nails. She didn't appear happy to be at a tame 'girl' party. She would probably be happier in the other room. And the other room was terrifying for someone as quiet and reserved as Molly the farmer.

Molly's eyes roved and spotted Maya. She was the wife of the man who nearly hit her with the door – Chase was his name. Their daughter Dakota was a plucky ginger haired girl of two who was struggling in her mother's lap. She reached for the desserts table, whining and pulling. Maya easily ignored her child's demands (for no doubt, more dessert than she deserved) and talked easily on with the girls of the farming families, Anissa and Renee. They would be easy to get along with; in fact, they were really the only people Molly ever talked to. But it was rather crowded where they sat in the corner, and Molly didn't feel like fighting just to stand in a cramped space.

Letting out a sigh, Molly turned to grab some punch. Filling one of the Dixie cups, someone surprised her with a tap on the shoulder.

"Where've you been hiding?" The woman asked.

Spinning around with a smile, Molly said: "I just got here!"

"Running late then – as usual," Luna grinned mischievously – her signature look. The farmer wasn't quite sure how she befriended this outgoing, rather rude seamstress, but since the beginning of her farming days here on the peninsula, Molly had found herself drawn to her. Luna was loud and she spoke her mind, but she was incredibly intelligent and suave. Not to mention she had those famous pink pigtails of lovely hair, always adorned childishly with flowers. She was everything Molly was not or was afraid to be.

Luna took her friend's cup and sipped some punch before handing it back. Molly asked: "Where's your sister?"

"Candace is off hiding, I imagine. I thought I'd find her when I found you – you're both not overly fond of parties, if I remember. And I always remember," Luna bragged, looking around the room on her tip toes.

Molly chuckled. Luna's sister was quite a bit like Molly, but she was much more timid. Where Molly would force herself into these sorts of situations in an effort to become more extroverted and bubbly, Candace would cower and run away. Molly couldn't blame her – these circumstances would usually end with her doing the same. But because of Candace's incurable shyness, Molly had barely seen her since visiting Sonata Tailor's for the first time.

"So did you suggest a name yet?" Luna asked casually, still looking about.

"Maybe. Did you?" Molly sipped from her cup.

"Pfft!" Luna immediately retorted. Very typical of Luna – she thought she knew better than everyone else. What made it even more frustrating was that… it was often true. "What are they thinking? Some sort of raffle to name their child? It's ridiculous!"

"Oh, I didn't think of it that way," Molly said. "I thought it was a good way to organize all the ideas. And that way, the couple can quietly go over them later, you know? They're not… _forced_ to name him or her anything they find in that box."

Luna was quiet for a moment before she turned to Molly and crossed her arms. "That's what you put in the box, isn't it?"

Molly blushed and looked at her emptied Dixie cup. "Maybe…"

Luna laughed and rolled her eyes. "Just like you to give advice and encouragement instead of a simple name like everyone else. You're absolutely too good, Molly. Too good for your own good."

"Stop it!" Molly denied. "I just… wanted them to see it and smile… Know someone's on their side, you know? Oh… but I guess it _is_ pretty stupid… I'd better take it out!"

Luna caught her friend by the sleeve of her dress before she could whirl around. "Oh, no you don't! You've made your choice – what's done is done! Besides, it's not stupid. It's just… Molly being Molly."

"Thanks for referring to me in the third person," Molly quipped, tossing her cup in the rubbish bin.

The girl with the red dress shrugged her slim shoulders. She spun her head and looked at Molly strangely.

Panicking under Luna's gaze, Molly lifted her hand to her cheek. "What?"

Luna squinted and poked Molly's face. "There. Your eyeliner is smudging."

"Oh, dear," Molly fussed, quickly wiping at her eyes. "Just my luck! Is it gone?"

"Uh, no. You just made it a thousand times worse," Luna told her flatly.

"What do I do?! Help me fix it!" Molly begged, instantly turning to face the wall.

"Take a chill pill and go to the bathroom to see for yourself," Luna suggested. She suddenly grinned, having spotted her sister. "Aha! I didn't see her by that bookshelf! Looks like she's reading… Ugh!"

Molly was still rubbing at her face, making it decidedly worse. Luna put a hand on her arm. "Look, it's no big deal. It just… looks like you're crying out the sides of your face."

"Luna!" Molly wailed.

"Just go see for yourself! It's no big deal!" Luna repeated and spun her friend around in the right direction. "You've been here before – the bathroom's that way. Go on, raccoon eyes!"

Eyes to the ground, Molly marched off under Luna's orders. She dodged women, muttering her apologies, desperate to hide whatever horror her face was. Her feet finally found the door, and she jerked it open. Gripping her handbag tight to her side, Molly's ears were assaulted by the boisterous male party again. Sliding along the wall, Molly made her way to the unisex bathroom located on the opposite end of the stage. Hopping up onto the small rise, Molly dashed across and landed neatly on the wood floor. Thanking any and every deity she wasn't spotted, she pulled the bathroom door open and squeezed inside—

"Hey, Molly, are you okay?" A man's voice asked.

_Hell._

Ozzie. The fisherman. Toby's uncle. He was without his straw hat, so Molly didn't recognize him at first. The tight tan wrinkles by his eyes looked concerned.

"I'm fine," Molly answered. "Just a little make-up… mishap."

"Oh, okay!" The older man smiled wide, showing off straight yellow teeth. "Just looks like you were crying. Thought something was wrong!"

Molly laughed it off, shaking her head. She finally slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. _Safe at last._

The bathroom was completely silent. There was only the slight muffle of the noise coming from outside the door and the click of her high-heeled shoes against the tiles. The first thing she did was take her shoes off – they were killing her ankles. Molly didn't know how women did it, honestly. It was hard enough to keep balance and walk at a normal pace, but the added factor of pain was completely too much for her. She pulled them off, the straps protesting around her heels, and tossed them underneath one of the two sinks. With a quick look underneath the only two stalls, Molly found herself completely alone.

Going to the mirror over the sink, Molly let out a small groan. Molly never wore make-up. _Never._ She didn't know the first things about applying it or how to use it effectively. So when she decided she'd doll herself up for this party, actually trying to look like a grown up woman for once, she hadn't any clue what she was doing. So she spent a small fortune and bought one of each of the cosmetics the General Store offered and experimented. In case something would go wrong (because she just _knew_ it would), she carried them in her purse. _All_ of them.

Tossing her purse in the sink, she zipped it open and looked into the sea of sticks, balms, and brushes. The strap was still around her shoulder, so she grumbled and twisted out of it. Digging through, she tried to find the eyeliner she had finally chosen to use that day. From what she remembered, it was a thick pencil of some kind, but half of them fit that description. Why didn't she label it somehow? _Or, hey – crazy thought – just bring that one?_ _But what if it looked funny? She would have to just deal with it…?_ _Why was she so bad at this?!_

Her first order of business was to get rid of the stuff she had on. Ripping some paper towel, she attempted to rub it away. It didn't work so well, so she dabbed the paper under the sink, getting it slightly wet. Some water dripped into her purse that was under the faucet, but she didn't notice. Trying again, Molly successfully wiped most of the black streaks from her cheeks, but the smudges left behind didn't seem to want to go anywhere and the rough paper towel started to burn.

Molly pitched it and turned back to the mirror. Her reflection was a terrible sight. She had the dark smudges of make-up she couldn't remove, her hair was still wind whipped, and her features were clearly plain even underneath the make-up she still had on. Molly forced a distraught smile. _Good enough?_ She held her face in her hands.

The door suddenly opened, and the sound came screaming in before the door swung shut. Panicked, Molly hastily dug through her bag, making it look like she was busy. She didn't dare look up as the person went to the sink next to her and started washing their hands. They were completely silent, and Molly was glad they were mercifully leaving her alone. She heard them rip the paper towel and dry their hands. When she thought she'd be alone again, the door didn't open.

Molly chanced a peek and saw a man with a large violet striped coat. It had faux fur on the bottom (that was well below his knees), and more fur on the collar. A long stripe of brightly dyed pink hair hung down his back. When more layers entered his hair, it grew increasingly purple with streaks of yellow and pink and blue thrown haphazardly in. He was staring at his angular features in the mirror, wearing more make-up than Molly was and more skilled with the craft to make it look good on him.

Castanet wasn't a big place, so Molly was surprised that she had never seen him before. Then again, she had never really introduced herself like the Mayor Hamilton urged her to do. She just wasn't… the type. But still, she knew almost everybody, having run into them at one time or another. And Molly was sure she would have remembered meeting this guy if she had.

His eyes slid towards Molly's reflection in the mirror staring at him, and she quickly looked back into her purse. Molly's eyes quivered with pin pricks of tears threatening to embarrass her further. She was so stupid and pathetic and she looked a frightful mess and now she was _staring!_

To her surprise, one of his pale hands reached across into her purse. She just stared as he took out a small brown stick of eye liner. He held it out to her. "This one."

Molly took it, not able to say so much as a thank you. She was sure her arm only moved to take it because it was afraid of making her look any dumber. She glanced up, her fingers wrapped tightly around the pencil. Their eyes locked for a split second before she broke the contact. His eyes were a deep maroon color – so brown they were almost a shade of red, but they were friendly. The man gave her a small smirk, but it felt like it was more of him smirking to himself and Molly happened to see it. Like he was having his own private joke – like he knew exactly what she was all about in this tiny bathroom in the bar. But it wasn't mean. She almost wanted to smile back, but she was numb with shock.

He didn't say anything either, and he and his knowing smirk were soon gone. Molly's head buzzed from the noise of Owen's bachelor party before the door closed again. She looked at the eye liner in her hand curiously.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much for reviewing!

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**Chapter Two  
Wednesday, Fall 25****th**

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After her strange encounter, Molly couldn't find it in herself to go back to Kathy's party the same. She applied the eye liner the stranger handed her and found it worked well and was easy to use. Packing up her things and taking a deep breath, Molly had re-entered Kathy's party with a new attitude. And it was a curious one.

Socializing around the room, she finally wheedled the man's name from the women of the town. Tall? Stylish? Purple hair? The last description always was the kicker no matter who she asked – and she asked as many people as she casually could. His name was Julius (appropriate, Molly thought), and he was an artist. Of course, the only person who called him an artist had been Luna. She grew up with him and didn't like him one bit – claimed he was a bully to poor Candace. And her description of 'artist' wasn't complimentary. She used words like 'starved' and 'failed.' After talking to Luna, Molly's image of the stranger in the bathroom was confused with a terrible, relentless, rude monster that made jewelry and did some metal-smithing on the side – after he ate the souls of the innocent. Seriously though – who could ever bully someone like Candace? Molly was quite shot down. She thought he had been rather handsome…

Still, the person she had run into wouldn't leave her mind. Especially his smile. He just stood there smirking at her – reading her like an open book. No one ever looked at Molly like that. Then again, the only people who did were back in grade school and they were picking her apart. Perhaps Luna was right. Maybe he just saw her as potential prey. Molly was awfully similar to Candace, after all. And if they had some sort of cruel history, why wouldn't it repeat itself?

But… _still!_ His smirk wasn't like those bullies she knew all too well. It was… snarky. Like he found her situation funny, but he was willing to help her out because he knew better. It was amused. Not demeaning. And he proved it by not saying anything. He didn't make fun of her though he easily could have. And Molly was used to that kind of reaction from the opposite sex – to immediately insult her and maybe feel a bit remorseful later if they remembered.

Molly couldn't think like that. She had to leave those personal memories behind, and maintain her picture of the suavely dressed man from the bathroom. It was a ridiculous image, she had to admit, but it was one she rather liked despite what everyone else had to say…

And what everyone else had to say was surprising. "Julius? Yeah, he's got an 'interesting' fashion sense. He's perfectly harmless though." "Oh, that Julius guy? Doesn't he wear make-up? So weird!" "Who? Oh, Julius? When I met him, I thought he was a girl. He's a really good conversationalist if you've got the time for tea." "Ha, yeah, I know him! We all called him Jay the Tray. You know, like, transvestite? What – we were kids!" Some of the descriptions gave her hope, but the last one was shocking. Molly never expected the kind villagers of Harmonica Town to be so… openly mean.

Then again, those were women and girls talking. And as children, they were the cruelest because they knew what criticisms would hurt the most. Even so, Molly didn't even want to hear what the guys had to say. Probably things about his appearance that were equally as rude. It depressed her that no matter where she went in the world, even a small, innocent place like Castanet, she couldn't escape bullies.

But here she was a week later. After her investigation, Molly found out that he worked at the Accessory Store with the widow Mira. It was no wonder that Molly had never met him – she had never stepped inside the shop. She had no reason to. Molly hated mining, being too claustrophobic to even enter the caves, so there was no real reason for her to ever have business there. By the name of the store, she should have realized they did more than refine gems and ores, but a jewelry selection never occurred to her. If you hadn't already guessed, Molly the make-up guru was also an expert in accessorizing.

Not.

So standing outside the building she would pass by on her way to the mine cart or for a visit to the Blacksmith's was very strange. It was like she had never really seen it before. The churning water wheel was a bit hard to miss, but the building was rather ordinary. Ridged red shingles nailed down slapdash across made the roof and ashy white bricks built the walls. A large glass window with a display case of various brooches, rings, and necklaces was glaring at her. She really must have been blind to miss this…

The iron picture sign of a ring with a large gem creaked back and forth though Molly couldn't feel much wind. It was rather rusty, but the entire building gave off that same impression. There were large cracks that flower pots were placed strategically to hide. Still, it had a certain charm to it like all the buildings, especially here in the Garmon Mines District. Pushing on the old wooden door that had chipped blue paint, Molly peered inside.

Everything was red. That's all she saw at first. The wall paper was red, the couch was red, the roses in the vase were red, and even the wood in the floors and cabinets had a tint of red to them. The carpet was mercifully a dull grey color. The lights were dimmed to a soft yellow so the bright lamps of the display cases would be first to catch the customer's eye. Dozens and dozens of sparkling gems rested behind the locked glass doors with cherry wood frames. Molly eyed the counter where the woman Mira stood behind the register.

"Welcome to the Accessory Store. How may I help you?" She asked with the famous sad smile she wore since her husband passed away before the farmer was around.

Molly found it difficult to form words again, but managed: "Oh, I'm just… looking around. I don't think I've ever been here before."

"Would you like me to explain anything about the refinement process? It could help you when you're mining," Mira offered.

"Oh, no thank you," the farmer refused. "I… I don't mine. A bit claustrophobic."

"Ah, I see," Mira nodded. Now the woman was probably just as curious as Molly as to why she was there. The look she gave her was friendly though. "Interested in any jewelry?"

"Maybe," Molly admitted, stepping forward. The door jingled closed behind her as the warmth of the store returned. She hadn't realized she'd been holding the door open the entire time, letting the cold air in. _Stupid. _"What kinds of things do you have?"

"A few trinkets," Mira understated and spun on her heel, trying to hide her eagerness at a potential buyer as she unlocked one of the cases with a key fashioned as a necklace. It gave a soft click, and Mira slid the door to the side, taking out a velvet holder. She placed the set on the counter where Molly crept up to see.

"Wow, they're lovely," Molly commented, eyes wide.

Mira smiled. "Have a favorite in mind?"

Molly immediately pointed to an emerald necklace. It hung on a thin silver chain. The pendant was rather small, but it was outlined with a fine design that encased the jewel in a spindling of silver webs. Molly wanted to say it was rectangular, but it had its corners cut, making it a type of octagon.

"Good taste," Mira nodded in surprise. Molly noted how she reluctantly pulled it from the velvet bed. She held it up to the light so it sparkled. "This one's very old. My husband made this one."

"Well, don't be giving him _all_ the credit," a sly voice came over Molly's shoulder.

She squeaked with surprise and backed into something solid. Molly jumped to the side – accidentally stepping on his foot – before regaining her bearings. The telltale smirk was the first thing she saw before the purple hair and coat confirmed it was none other than Julius – her stranger from the bathroom.

_She really needed to stop calling him that._

Clearing her throat, Molly attempted a 'hello,' before Mira's scolding voice strangely over-powered her. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, Julius. Especially not a customer."

"Sorry, Mira. I just overheard and couldn't resist," Julius smiled, showing his teeth. They were bright and well-aligned, but Molly wasn't paying attention or anything…

"It's fine, I'm… kind of jumpy," Molly mumbled, staring at her dirty trainers. "I'm sorry… about stepping on your foot…"

Julius crossed his arms, ignoring her lame apology. "So are you planning on buying it?"

"W-what?"

"The necklace," he indicated the gem in Mira's hand with a nod of his head.

"Julius! Honestly, you're the worst business man…" Mira quickly put the necklace back in the case, turning to Molly. "I'm very sorry for my employee's lack of tact. He's normally not so terrible."

"Mira, you slay me!" Julius complained, throwing a hand over his heart dramatically. "I may never recover!" Though he quickly did, folding his arms back over his chest.

Molly held in a giggle, but was sure Mira would glare daggers at him like a normal employer would. But Mira just rolled her eyes and picked up the velvet stand to put the selection away.

"W-wait!" Molly stopped her. Mira and Julius looked at her in surprise. She avoided their eyes, but looked from face to face. "How much?"

Mira blinked at her and then looked at Julius with some hesitation. "Well, it's your design, Julius. How much is it?"

Obviously, she tried to put him in a difficult position that she didn't want. Even Molly knew about Mira's deceased husband and how it was heartbreak to the whole town when he was suddenly taken ill. If Julius worked on this necklace with him – would he be willing to sell it?

"Er…" Molly interrupted his contemplation. "I don't want to take anything if it has sentimental value. I understand perfectly if—"

Julius was constantly surprising her. He shrugged. "Ah, that's business. Just price it like the others, Mira."

Molly looked guiltily back to Mira who was debating pricing the necklace Molly wasn't even sure she could afford. Julius had already slipped quietly from the room, gone as fast as he came. His voice came to them from the back of the shop: "And you might want to give a discount on the pretense I've been 'terrible!'"

"Oh, Julius!" Mira sighed. She looked back to Molly, tucking her deep purple hair behind her ear. "Would it be so bad to tell you it's not for sale?"

Molly smiled, the weight lifting off her chest. "Of course not! Even if you could mark a price, I'm sure it would be way too high for me. You can't sell things like that. Memories, you know?"

Mira smiled gratefully, locking the case again. "I'm so sorry… but thank you very much for understanding. In fact, I had better take it off the display – I had no idea it was even there… Easy to forget these things…"

Molly felt bad for her, but she was overjoyed she didn't have to buy the necklace. Not only would she not wear it: insulting those at the store, but Julius' sarcasm and easy parting with it made it obvious he really did care, but he wasn't going to show it. It was her first insight at how strange and complex the enigma of Julius could be.

Turning around, Molly bid Mira a farewell, trying to act aloof about Julius even though she wished he was there so she could say goodbye to him, too. Mira waved her off, welcoming her to come in any time – except Thursdays of course – and the door finally chimed shut behind her.

Molly leaned against the faded paint for a minute, taking in a deep breath of crisp autumn air. She closed her eyes and sighed it back out. _Well… that could've gone decidedly worse. And now you've kind of officially met him… sort of. He still doesn't have a clue who you are, but now you at least know who he is. Leave it at that._

She was disappointed she didn't get a chance to properly introduce herself, but she wasn't about to turn into a stalker to find an opportunity to do so. Molly pushed herself from the door and climbed down the slick wooden ramp back to the dirt road. Looking left and right along the cliff, she decided she could run some errands while she was up here. The district was rather secluded, so she should take advantage of the hike up here.

* * *

Later that evening, Molly struggled with her keys in the dark. Holding them up to her spotlight and squinting, she flipped through the ring to find the one for the front door. _Honestly, why did she carry so many keys?_ Half of them were old – things like the key to her house with her parents, her old car, a security deposit box that hadn't much in it, an old trunk she had lost eons ago, and she didn't even know what that one was… _I need to get organized…_

With a huff, she hiked the bag higher on her hip. She wound up not having very many errands to run, so she went out on a limb and bought a blender from the General Store. Barbara could talk Molly into buying anything, and the farmer was afraid she knew it, too. She had walked in to browse, much like she had at the Accessory Store, and wasn't looking to buy kitchen utensils – much less a blender. _Why did she buy this? What would she blend?!_

Grumbling to herself about her own stupidity, Molly bit her tongue when she dropped the ring of keys. She let out an aggravated sigh and pressed her head into the locked door.

_Ah, the Accessory Store! That's where this terrible day started._ The more she thought about it, the more humiliated she felt. First, she had stood there in the door like a moron and then she made both Mira and Julius feel guilty about selling that necklace. Not to mention she had completely made a fool of herself, getting scared like that and running into him… and stepping on his foot… and stuttering… Then that whole fiasco at the General Store where she let the jolly manager thrust another useless device into her arms, taking away the rest of the profit from that spinach she grew. Molly hated being shy and a pushover to boot. It ruined everything.

She didn't notice the footsteps until they were close, and the keys were jingling. Snapping her eyes open, Molly let out a small gasp of surprise as the object of most of her thoughts held the keys in her face.

"You're the clumsy type, aren't you?" Julius asked, swinging the keys over her forehead.

Molly tried to snatch them back, but Julius lifted them higher over her head and out of her reach. Now that she noticed it, he was a good deal taller than her, too.

"Get a good look yet?" Julius caught her staring.

Blushing like mad, Molly succeeded on her second attempt and took the keys from him. The blender in her other arm was getting heavy, so she lugged it up again. She sped through the key ring, desperate to find the key with the yellow – _aha!_

Jamming it in the door too quickly, Molly turned the knob and pushed, finding herself running against it. Blinking in confusion, she pushed harder and tried to knob. They key was stuck inside, refusing to turn.

Julius made a 'tsking' sound with his tongue, leaning back with his arm wrapped around him and the other had a finger to his chin. He had a very fluid way of carrying himself, and his confidence was making Molly more miserable as she hugged the stupid blender she didn't want, locked out of her own house with an audience.

The metal-smith looked down at the key slyly, testing the water first. Making up his mind that Molly was just going to stare at her shoes until he left, he removed the key with a sharp tug and inserted it calmly, twisting it and unlocking the door with a distinctive click of the bolt.

"Thank you…" Molly mumbled.

Julius winked, perkier than she expected. "You're very shy, aren't you? It's fine, darling, I won't bite."

Molly felt even more stupid (which she didn't think was possible) at his attempt to make her talk. She decided to reward his effort with a question of her own: "How come I've never met you before?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he countered, shifting his weight.

"My name's Molly," she quickly thrust her hand towards him, bridging the gap.

Julius looked down on it with an amused expression. He took her hand and instead of shaking it, he kissed it, making Molly turn beet red again. "I know."

"Wh-what?" Molly pulled her hand back defensively. "But I've never—"

"I'm not deaf, darling. People talk about you all the time," he answered easily, inspecting his nails though the habit seemed superficial to her. Like he was avoiding looking at her.

"They do?" Molly's voice shrank. People talked about her? _Molly?_ That had never been a good sign in her youth.

"Why of course! A couple years ago, you were fresh meat. All the young men were prepared to throw themselves at you in _droves_," Julius teased.

Molly bit her tongue, glaring at him. He was charming, but he was becoming increasingly less so the more this conversation continued. _Or was he more so?_ No! He wasn't funny. He was making fun of her. _Just ignore him…_

Molly pushed her door open, quickly deciding to leave him behind. But Julius remained on her porch, and she didn't have the heart to slam the door in his face. So she held her blender close and looked into her dark house doubtfully.

"What, is that an invite?" Julius cocked his head to the side, his lips curling into a mischievous smile that reminded her of Luna's.

Eyes widening, Molly shook her head. "N-no! Good night!"

Julius put his arm across her doorway, blocking her path. "Not so fast, dear. I want to know why you've been stalking me lately."

"Stalking?!" Molly yelped. Julius smiled at her reaction. "I was not stalking you! I… I just—"

"Felt guilty for avoiding me for so long? Finally wanted to introduce yourself?" He ventured.

"I haven't been avoiding you!" Molly denied, clutching the paper bag closer. "Though I did want to introduce myself… I didn't know you existed until a week ago…"

"Oh, and that makes me feel so much _better_," he gave her a mixed look of haughty disappointment.

"Well," Molly was verbally pinned, making her lash out. "I… What do you want me to do?!"

"Have dinner with me."

The blender slipped, but she caught it. "Wh-what?!"

Julius feigned heartache like he had with Mira. "Of course, I understand. For, by the look she gives, the answer is undoubtedly no. I will heal someday from this bitter rejection, cruel lady!"

"What? I-I!" Poor Molly panicked, not seeing how jovial he was under the act. "No, of course! I mean, yes?"

Julius cut the scene, dropping his arms with one falling to rest on his hip. "You're dreadfully cute, Molly. Like a little doll. Ha! Dolly? Molly? How delightful!"

Molly blinked rapidly, not even caring that her mouth was wide open. He laughed and clapped for his own cleverness. "You're kidding, right?"

He stopped, but he still smiled widely. "No," Molly's heart started to rise— "Your name _does,_ in fact, rhyme with dolly."

Molly pursed her lips in annoyance. She turned to her open door again. "I don't have time for this…"

Julius clapped his hands together with finality. "Well, that's fine then. We can finish this later. Let's say… next Friday? Evening. I have to work, as you now know."

"Huh?" She stopped herself for – she was determined – the last time.

Julius gave her a cat-like grin, hands on both of his hips. "You did accept my invitation, did you not?"

Molly blinked. "I… yes…?"

"Then I'll see you at the inn. It has so much more charm than the bar, don't you think? Such a shame it closes so early," he determined, leaving her doorstep.

"But… but why?" Molly whined.

"You'll have to ask the owners," he quipped over his shoulder.

"No, not that…!"

This confused him, so he spun back around. "Whatever do you mean, darling?"

Molly certainly wasn't used to being treated this way; let alone being talked to like that. She couldn't say she hated the term 'darling,' but it made her very uncomfortable. No one (other than her mother, for goodness' sake) had ever used a word like that when talking to her. Especially not if they were referring to her as the 'darling.' Thrown so suddenly into this new realm, she let her shoulders sag with the heavy mixer. "Why me?"

"Is it so wrong to get to know a stranger?" Julius shook his head as if he was talking to a child. "See you at eight, doll face."

Having dropped the blender on the nearest table, Molly hurried back to the door. Julius was already walking far along the dirt path down the hill. But didn't he live at the Accessory Shop? She called out without thinking: "Where are you going?"

He spun around gracefully and used an arm to present his pathway. "Home is this way, of course! Were you hoping to accompany me? Getting a bit ahead of ourselves, aren't we?"

"Sh-shut up!" Molly burst. She saw him laughing before her door slammed shut. Holding her flaming face in her hands, she shook her head. "Oh, my…"

* * *

"I think I lied."

Selena rolled her eyes, pulling her hair tight on the top of her head. Her fingers expertly wove the gold rings into her bun. She didn't immediately reply, thinking he would finish. He didn't.

With a sigh, she asked: "Why's that?"

Julius rested his chin in his palm, slowly spinning his cranberry cocktail with his free hand. His eyes roved around the bar atmosphere. The laughing men at the card table, the busy chef behind the counter, the casual bartender, the very pregnant waitress. He looked down at the dark wood of the corner table he found to be his favorite spot. Julius gently set his glass back down. "I told her that the Inn had more charm. But I think I misspoke. The Brass Bar is… homey somehow, don't you think?"

"Told who? You're not making any sense," Selena snapped, ever with a short fuse. "Oh, you mean that farmer? Molly?"

Julius chuckled. "Why, none other."

The dancer grumbled to herself as she tried to remove the black tulle belt around her hips. "I don't know what you see in her. She's so average."

"On the contrary, I find her rather interesting," Julius said. "Besides, she's adorable!"

"Ah, yes, your weakness!" The red-head agreed sarcastically. "Honestly, Julius, you could do so much better."

He raised an eyebrow. "Was that a proposal, darling?"

"Hardly!" Selena quickly shook her head. She stomped her foot in vexation. "Oh, Julius, help get this off of me!"

Julius stood and took the last sip of his cocktail. Selena turned around with her back to him. He examined the knotted mess she made of her sash and frowned. "What have you done, darling? This piece held your ensemble together…"

"I can't dance for shit with all of these ropes and baubles," Selena scathingly complained. She firmly crossed her arms under her chest. "I knew I shouldn't have let the mad scientist of the runway design my show pieces!"

Julius laughed and with a yank, pulled the sash free from her green Arabian-themed costume. "Well, there. Now you look like a lackluster genie."

"At least I can move now," she said, snatching the sash from him and tossing it to the side of the stage. Selena's smile was reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire cat when she faced him, hands on her hips. "So what exactly is so interesting about this farmer anyway? Is the mad scientist experimenting?"

"In a way," Julius admitted, feigning interest by poking and prodding and adjusting the rest of her outfit. He busied himself with Selena's long waves of hair that framed her face. "But now I know what _not_ to do."

"So… round two? Isn't that a bit harsh for you?" Selena stared at his eyes but he didn't meet her gaze.

"I don't like to think of it that way," he said, ending the conversation.

Selena swatted his hand away when he tried to fix her part again. "I'm fine. Stop fussing."

"I was expecting a 'thank you,'" Julius grinned. "Or in the very least: 'Julius, you're marvelous! How do you ever do it? You're simply fabulous – I love you!'"

She roughly pushed him away from the stage. "Oh, go sit down, you narcissist! I've a show to do!"

Julius shook his head good-humoredly. He put some money on the table for Kathy before pulling the collar of his coat up around his neck.

"You know it's pointless, right? History says it won't work out."

The stylist didn't bother looking at her. Instead, he unfurled his cuffs and fluffed the ruffles of his scarf.

"Well, at any rate…" Selena began, looking at the boom box that would play the music she needed to dance. "Good luck."

Julius nodded and shot her a winning smile. "And to you, too, darling. Break a leg!"

"That's so cliché," Selena muttered as her good-bye.

The music began to play lightly in the background, the beat of the drums increasing in tempo as Selena took her position center-stage, tapping her feet. Julius left the bar as she started to spin, nearly every patron with their eyes on her.


	3. Chapter 3

Honestly, I wasn't really expecting feedback... Thank you guys so much! :)

* * *

**Chapter Three  
Friday, Winter 6****th**

* * *

Molly had no idea what was going on in her closest. All of her clothes seemed boring after seeing how Julius dressed, and nothing looked right once it was on. She knew she shouldn't be so worried about a casual dinner date, but even saying that made her flinch. That word. That _date_ word. It put her on edge and completely baffled her at the same time.

_Exactly what was it anyways? What did the implications of tonight mean? How casual was it?_ None of the clothes in her wardrobe were helping her out in this problem. Either she was dressed down and looked like the ruddy farmer she was, or she was over dressed and it would probably scare the hell out of him (and her) in one fell swoop. She needed to be very careful. What she wore, she decided, determined her intentions.

But what were those exactly? What did _she_ think this dinner meant?

_Well… it's to get to know Julius better. He said so himself._ But having just met him, she had already heard at least two sexual innuendos that she could remember. So obviously he was either very immature or not on the fence like she was. Was he… _interested_ in her? That was a daunting thought to say the least.

"_Go out with you? __Look__ at you!"_

Wincing at the memory, she made up her mind. Molly took out her Blue China Clothes outfit she had bought at Luna's insistence (from her own store, mind). Removing the undershirt, Molly pulled the navy tunic over her head and pulled up the black pants. It was winter though, so the T-shirt wouldn't be enough. After checking the weather channel again, she determined it was going to snow. So she took up some brown snow boots and a heavy half coat. Looking herself over in the mirror, she decided her outfit looked less planned than she thought. Like she was interested in looking nice, but didn't care enough to get too dolled up. 'Doll.' She had a feeling that term was going to haunt her this evening.

The clock on the wall told her it was seven thirty, so she snatched her keys and her wallet and headed out the door. It was a good half hour walk to Harmonica Town from her farm when it was nice out. If it started to snow, she would be late.

Switching her light off and locking the door behind her, Molly turned to look up at a flawless night sky. The stars twinkled in the blackness, only a few wisps of clouds passing over head to block their glow. There was no moon that she could see though, so her trip would be rather dark. Molly momentarily cursed herself for forgetting to turn her spotlight outside her door on before locking up, but dug in her coat pocket. Her hand found the cool metal of her flashlight and she switched it onto the snowy path ahead of her.

The first snow of the year happened like clockwork. The first day of the season, Molly woke up to tend to her animals and snow was layered over everything. Castanet tended to work that way. The seasons were very punctual. It was handy as a farmer, but Molly sometimes missed the Indian summers and the early springs like back home.

The light powder brushed away from Molly's shoes. Some of it crunched if it gathered under her boots, but it wasn't the best packing snow. Nothing to make snowballs with. She was sure the children were disappointed.

_Well, hopefully, the snow tonight is wetter._ Molly loved to see the crudely made snowmen and the lop-sided snow angels along the road. It made winter more bearable for her, a through and through summer girl.

The bright light of her flashlight beamed against the cliff as she rounded the bend, getting hit with a blast of cold, salty air off the ocean. It was bitterly cold, tugging at the warm skin on her face and hands. Molly reprimanded herself for not wearing gloves or even a hat.

A sudden buzz in her pocket made her jump. Stopping, Molly quickly pulled out the ancient flip phone that only had one number on it. The blue screen was lit up, displaying the familiar area code she knew all too well.

"Hello?" Molly said breathlessly as she brought the phone to her face.

"_Molly?"_ Her mother's voice asked.

"Of course," she rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Mama, who else?"

"_Just making sure…"_ a bit of static drowned out most of the sentence.

Molly peered at the signal bars and made a wry face. "Sorry, Mama, there's static. What's going on?"

"_Oh, just wondering what you're up to. Your father and I were thinking of you. Only just got back from visiting Mrs. Clarence."_

"Oh, how is she?" Molly smiled fondly, still stuck on the same spot on the path.

"_She's fine, dear,"_ Molly's mother said. _"She said she misses having you as a student."_

"Did you tell her I miss her, too?"

There was a pause. _"I'm sorry?"_

"Never mind, Mama," she shook her head. "Could you say hello for me next time you go?"

"_Sure thing, dear. But what are you up to? You sound cold – are you outside? Did you wear a scarf?"_

Molly laughed. How on Earth could she _hear_ that she was cold? Mothers. She lied: "Yes, of course. It's still pretty chilly though."

"_Where are you headed? What time is it there? Isn't it pretty late?"_

"Just about eight, Mama," Molly sighed. There was a sudden nagging in her head. For some reason, she didn't want to tell her mother that she was going to be meeting someone. Especially Julius. Molly had always been the girl to spill out her problems to her mother. Mind, some things she held back to keep her from worrying, but Molly wasn't very reluctant to share most of it. But again… she couldn't explain why, but she didn't want to mention whatever it was that was starting tonight. Like she was in trouble, and she didn't want to get caught. Like it was wrong somehow. "I'm, um, heading to the restaurant for a quick bite. I didn't feel like cooking. I'll go straight home; don't worry."

"_Okay…" _her mother mumbled doubtfully. Molly's parents were obviously over-protective. _"Well, have fun, okay, honey? I don't want to keep you out in the cold."_

"You're not," Molly lied again, bouncing up and down a little.

"_Nonsense. Now you hurry up and wear a scarf next time, okay, Molly?"_

Her mother was practically psychic, she just knew it. Molly smiled and started to walk again. "Okay, Mama. Bye."

"_I love you."_

"Love you, too. Tell Dad!"

"_Buh-bye, baby!"_

"Bye!" Molly finally hung up. She snapped the phone closed and put it in her coat pocket. She shuddered against the wind and quickened her pace.

Finally, her boots met the cobblestones of the bridge. The only part of the island that had streets like this was Harmonica Town, so she had made it in one, frozen piece. Jogging, Molly switched off her flashlight and ran down the lane. The light of street lanterns illuminated her path as she slipped up the icy ramp and passed the Choral Clinic, whose lights were long extinguished but for the light of Dr. Jin's office. For all his concerns for the health of others, he always stayed up too late.

Molly mused the irony of the doctor as she approached the door to the Ocarina Inn. Warmth radiated from the yellow windows, but the sign outside swung wildly in the wind that was continuously picking up intensity. She stopped at the door, always having a problem opening them without thinking too much, and rested her hand on the cold knob.

True to her cautions, the door betrayed her and swung open. Thrown off balance, Molly stumbled through the doorway with a squeal of protest.

"Molly? What are you doing here this late?" Luna asked, looking her friend up and down.

Molly recovered, quickly fixing her hair from the roaring wind. "Oh! Luna! Good evening."

The girl with pink hair was wearing a beautiful purple dress that hugged her tight, and she had a big white coat to protect her against the cold. But what was most surprising to Molly was not that Luna had straightened her hair, or that she had left out the flowers, no – it was that she was flanked by the mayor's snooty son Gill. He was currently putting on his own winter coat, close behind his date.

"What—?" Molly stopped herself from asking the obvious question. Luna was staring at her incredulously, like she had been caught behind a shed with a cigarette by her grand-mother.

She visibly twitched at her secret coming out and quickly turned to Gill. "Go on ahead, Gill. I'll catch up."

Gill gave Molly an appraising look, like he might bid how much she's worth to the town, and stepped past her without a word. Molly shivered. He was handsome, but he always unnerved her with that icy stare of his.

"Molly, what are you doing here?" Luna repeated in a harsh whisper once he was gone.

"I had no idea, Luna," Molly quickly interjected. It was ridiculous that Molly could be blamed for coming to a perfectly public place, but she made excuses anyways. "I don't care that you haven't told me; I'm just surprised. So don't trust the look that I know is on my face – I swear I'm not horrified."

Luna suddenly laughed. "Well, good! I thought you were going to faint for a minute there."

"Luna, I would never—"

"Don't kid yourself," she rolled her eyes. "It's next on your to-do list. Now you didn't see anything, okay?"

Molly frowned. "Wh… why?"

Luna leaned in close. "Look, I don't know if it's going to work out yet, and I really don't want anyone getting any funny ideas. Especially his father. Capiche?"

When Molly was slightly disappointed Luna hadn't told her about dating Gill, she now understood. Molly wasn't close with the Mayor Hamilton, but she dealt with him quite a bit. If she didn't know it was a secret, she would easily have brought it up one day, ruining everything. Now that she knew, she'd have to be extra careful to keep her mouth shut. Before, she was innocent because she was in the dark. But she was determined not to blab. Molly nodded firmly. "Your secret's safe with me, Luna."

Visibly relieved, Luna relaxed her shoulders. "Okay, I'm going to—" She looked Molly up and down, making the girl blush in shame. _Her outfit was too much, wasn't it?_ "Why are you here, Molly?"

Noticing the blush on her cheeks, Luna stared suspiciously at her as the brunette uneasily said: "Uh… Um, I'm… I'm kind of – er—meeting someone?"

Never a good poker face, Luna caught Molly's eyes looking behind her. There was Julius, reclining in his chair and watching the walls with his arms crossed. Luna turned back to Molly, poison in her voice: "You're not…! Oh, no! Molly, I _told_ you—"

"I know, I know!" Molly interrupted her, a rare occurrence. Luna shut her mouth. "But I just want to get to know him a little better, okay? I mean… I only just met him – there's no harm in a casual dinner, right?"

Luna crossed her arms, leaning on the door, still holding it open. "Oh, please – look at what you're wearing!"

"What about it?" Molly crossed her own arms, annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.

"You're obviously interested! You never wear that thing… Julius was the one to ask you, wasn't he?"

"Yes…?" She was still wrapping her mind around that first accusation.

Luna nodded brusquely. "Of course! Look, Julius just doesn't _do_ that. No matter what you're thinking, this is _not_ a casual thing."

"Luna?" Gill appeared behind Molly who jumped with surprise.

Luna turned red when he said her name, making Molly smile. "Quit it!" She threatened, pushing past her. "And I mean all of it – he's not as charming as you think."

The door closed behind them. Molly almost considered taking Luna's advice, but then she looked over at Julius, who was waiting at the table by himself. She didn't think he saw her yet, but she guessed it was almost impossible not to – what with Luna holding the door open and berating her for half a century. And besides, that wasn't like Molly to stand someone up. When she said she'd do something, she did it. So that meant dinner with Julius. And then probably avoid him for the rest of her life. _Sounds good._

Gulping and pulling down her tunic, Molly stepped across the restaurant, eyes focused on his table. Julius looked up at her approach and smirked. After the walk outside, Molly thought her face cold, but it instantly heated. And being clumsy, she ran into someone's chair. Julius chuckled as Molly apologized to Hanna and Cain and finally stood before him.

Keeping her eyes closed to help her be brave, Molly crossed her arms and said: "I don't know what game you think you're playing, but I refuse to have any part of it. This is casual, okay? Completely platonic. U-Understand?"

Except for her falter at the end, Julius was rather impressed. He pressed his fingertips together and put his elbows on the table, watching her. Julius indicated the seat across from him. "Perfectly clear. Would you like to sit down?"

Molly almost deflated from the effort of standing up to him. In fact, she rather fell into her chair. Forgetting her coat, she wrenched her arms free in a most ungraceful fit and threw it across the wood backing behind her. With a huff, she settled in.

"Well," Julius commented. "Someone seems to be having a bad day."

"I-I'm not having a bad day!" Molly denied, her face still the color of a tomato. She folded her arms over her chest. "I've just… been enlightened."

"I'd be happy to hear about it, but perhaps after we order?" Julius tilted his head to the side.

Molly nearly jumped out of her skin as the waitress Maya was standing there, staring down at her with a pen and pad of paper in her hand. The look on her face told her she'd been there awhile without Molly noticing her. "Um… What would you like to drink, Molly?"

"Just… water," Molly sunk in on herself, gripping the sides of her seat. Her face absolutely _burned_. No one ever told her how blushing could be so stinking painful.

"Do you have any strawberry milk?" Julius mused.

"Er—no. Sorry, Julius," Maya shook her head.

"Then black coffee will be just fine, thank you," he decided, reclining into his chair against the wall.

"Okay, so a water and coffee – simple stuff. I'll come back for your meal orders with your drinks, mmkay? And…" Molly caught Maya's hesitation and looked up. The girl's cheeks were dusted pink. "I've been here since 'platonic.' Just… thought you'd like to know…"

"Yeah, thanks," Molly sighed as Maya hurried away.

"So… 'enlighten' me," Julius grinned, crossing his arms.

Molly bit her tongue. Suddenly, she glared at him. "I'm sick of this!"

"Already? I thought the fun was just beginning," he answered carelessly.

Molly looked at the empty table next to them to make it easier. "I'm sick of feeling like such an idiot! Look, I haven't done anything wrong. Why do you constantly… just… ugh!"

"You're very descriptive."

"See?! That! That's what I'm talking about!" Molly accused and Julius rolled his eyes. "Why do you keep doing that?!"

Julius leaned against the table, getting frightfully close to her face. She hadn't realized she had been leaning in to start. His strange, amused eyes stared into hers, making her blanch. "I don't know what planet you're from, doll face, but here on Earth, we call it 'flirting.' I suggest getting used to it."

He didn't budge, and Molly found she couldn't. She searched his face. "What are you saying?"

Julius leaned back, keeping his smirk. He looked at the wall and shrugged. "It means I _like_ you, Miss Platonic."

Molly was still rooted to the table – leaning into nothing. She blinked, unable to process this.

"I suggest you put your jaw back into socket, doll face. Our waitress is on the way," he suggested with humor in his voice.

She fell backwards into her seat, snapping her open mouth closed. Molly stared at the floor by the empty table as Maya set the drinks on the table from her tray.

"Okay! So any ideas, guys?" Maya's peppy voice questioned. "Need to hear the specials?"

"Molly?" Julius asked.

"No, I don't need to hear the specials…" she forced out.

"Well, okay!" Maya's voice was considerably more nervous. "Um…?"

"Ladies first," Julius gave the floor to Molly again.

Molly wanted to say lots of things. For some reason, she was very angry, but she couldn't pinpoint quite why at the moment. And she wanted to run away. And she wanted to tell Julius and Maya to stuff it and leave her alone. But she sucked in some air and let out a heavy, audible sigh. "I'll just have the usual, Maya."

"Which is…?"

Molly sighed again, even more humiliated. "Cheese risotto…"

"Oh!" Maya laughed, tapping her head with her pencil. "Duh! Okay, one cheese risotto… and you?"

Julius pursed his lips, thinking a moment. "You know, I think I'll get the same."

"With coffee?" Maya nearly stuck out her tongue.

"If you could be so kind as to bring me a glass of water as well, then yes," he said.

Maya scribbled the order down and shrugged, taking her leave and calling out to her grand-mother over the chatter of the restaurant. "TWO CHEESE RISOTTOS, GRANNY!"

"GOT IT!" Her grand-mother Yolanda shouted back at an ungodly decibel.

Molly was sunk so low in her chair she could have slipped under the table with a few more inches. Her hand was on the bridge of her nose and the other was held tight across her torso. Her eyes were closed.

Julius leaned forward onto the table, propping up his elbows. "Having trouble?"

Her eyes blinked open. "Honestly? Yes."

"Why's that, doll face?"

She let out another sigh, sitting up straighter. She mimicked Julius and put her elbows on the table. "Why do you like _me?_"

He leaned his head on one hand. "I like to wear my heart on my sleeve, but this is hardly any fun."

"No, I mean…" Molly struggled with words for a minute. "Look, this probably won't surprise you, but I'm new to this stuff."

"No!" he tried to look surprised, failed miserably, and laughed.

Molly rolled her eyes. "I'm… not like you. I don't do this sort of thing."

Julius was merciful this time and waited patiently for her to continue, lacing his fingers and resting his chin there.

The action looked funny to Molly, but she attempted to ignore it. She gripped the edge of her chair again. "I'm… shy for a reason. I've never been asked on a 'date' or anything…"

"No boyfriend?" Julius asked.

"No."

"Kiss?"

"No."

Julius raised his eye brows.

Molly knew that look. It was the look everyone gave her when she told them that particular fact. The urge to run away grew stronger. "So as you can see… I-I'm not good at this… stuff."

"Why?" he suddenly asked.

She turned her head away from the floor and looked at him. "Why what?"

"Why haven't you been asked out before?"

"How should I know?" she immediately got defensive, recoiling and hugging herself.

"_Ew, gross! It's Molly!"_

"_Golly Miss Molly, did you ask your parents why they made you so ugly?"_

"_I bet she was raised by squirrels – her teeth are huge!"_

"_Hey, you know what? Molly plus ugly equals Mugly!"_

"_Mugly! Mugly~!"_

"You're beautiful."

Molly blinked, staring straight at him. "What…?"

Julius shrugged and repeated himself casually. "I'm an admirer of beautiful things. You're beautiful. Therefore, I like you."

She was struck dumb, so she didn't feel the tear sliding down her face until it hit her pant leg. Molly looked down at the dark circle it created on the black fabric. She was hugging herself so tight her fingers were stinging behind her back.

"Okay, here's your—Molly! Are you okay?" Maya's concerned voice called to her, but Molly couldn't react immediately. "What did you do to her?! You big bully!"

"N-no, Maya…" Molly spoke up. She straightened herself, wiping her face quickly and shaking her head. "He didn't do anything wrong… I'm just…"

Julius and Maya both looked at her, but their eyes said different things.

"Having a weird day," Molly concluded.

"Okay…" Maya accepted the answer with obvious hesitation, unloading her tray of their food. She placed a glass of water next to Julius. Her bright mood as their server instantly returned. "Eat up and enjoy~!"

"Thank you," Julius said as Maya skipped to Hanna and Cain's table to give them the bill. He looked over at Molly. "You ready to eat, doll face?"

Molly laughed at the nickname this time and nodded. "Yeah… And…"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks."

* * *

Molly was shocked how well dinner went. Julius and she stayed until the Inn closed at ten, avoiding certain personal subjects, but talking about everything else. When they were forced to leave, they walked slowly even though it was cold.

She learned that Julius' parents were travelling artists. When they stopped there on Castanet, Julius decided to stay, and they kept going without him. What surprised her more (though it shouldn't have by the hair color), was that Mira was his aunt. That made his old metal-smithing tutor his uncle as well, bringing the connection between them closer – and sadder – when he passed.

In turn, Molly told Julius how her parents were both still alive and well in the city. They would visit at least once a year, or if they couldn't, she would go to them. She missed the city sometimes, but she wouldn't trade Castanet for the bright lights any day.

"Now what exactly was it that made a lovely girl like you decide to be something as dirty as a farmer?" Julius asked beside her. He wore a thicker, duller coat over his stylish clothes. Molly supposed it pained him that he couldn't be fashionable all the time, but being warm topped the desire on freezing nights like these.

Molly had one hand jammed in her pocket and the other out in the cold. She constantly alternated which hand would hold the flashlight for the path and which would stay warm. Molly smiled at the question, her breath coming in clouds. "It's always appealed to me, being from the city… A simple life in the country, you know? No one to boss you around. Be your own manager of your own affairs. It still appeals to me – even though the work is often dirty, I admit…"

Julius shook his head, wrinkling his nose at the thought. "But what do your farm clothes look like?"

Confused, she shrugged. "I don't know… jeans? Sweaters? T-shirts? Trainers?"

"Oh, là là – quelle horreur!" Julius exclaimed in a surprisingly good French accent. "I'll have to think up some new designs! Can't have you running about in frumpy clothes, hm?"

Molly blushed a bit, not being insulted like she felt she normally would be. She had to admit he was right – the clothes were frumpy. "But they'll just get dirty. I'd hate to ruin stylish clothes…"

"Think nothing of it," Julius shook his head. "Better to ruin them than not have them at all! My, your house is rather dark."

Molly looked up, surprised they were already at her door. She was even more surprised that he had walked her home without her knowing it. She bit her lip, remembering. "Yeah, I forgot to turn on the spotlight. But I have this," she waved the light of her torch around. "Will you get back alright?"

Julius nodded. "The snow is bright enough, and I know my way. Why? Are you worrying?"

Molly hid her face in the dark.

"That's very considerate," he said anyways. "Which somehow reminds me – what was it you were 'enlightened' about?"

She could have told him what Luna said about him – her blatant warning. She could have said what everyone was saying about him, too, and she wouldn't do that. Molly didn't really care anymore. She knew they were wrong now (well, partially – he really _was_ a good conversationalist). "You know… I can't remember."

"Perhaps some other time then," he accepted her answer with ease.

Molly smiled sheepishly down at the light in her hands. "Um… I had a really good time. Thank you… Julius."

Julius' eyes widened in surprise. He smirked down at her.

"Wh-what?" Molly stuttered, uncomfortable under his gaze.

"That was the first time you said my name," he mused.

_Was it really?_ Molly felt that was a rude mistake. She hadn't meant to avoid it…

"Would you say it again?"

"Huh?"

"Humor me, doll face!" He insisted, throwing a dramatic hand to his forehead.

"Julius!" Molly laughed at his antics.

"Much better," he smiled.

Molly blushed, taking the keys out of her pocket. She knew this scene all too well. It was in every sappy movie, book, and show. Or at least a good deal of them. This was the front door scene. Where she was expected to give him a kiss goodnight…

Her stomach tumbled into knots, not knowing whether or not she actually wanted to try it or not. _Well, the cheek is safe, right? Hugs are forbidden – that's immediate friend zone. But… why don't I want to friend zone him? Do I __like__—?_

"Good night, doll face!" Julius called from down the path, waving up at her from the crossroads.

_How did he do that?!_ Flustered, Molly nearly dropped her keys again. She waved back, the knots in her stomach getting much tighter for some reason. _Did __he__ just leave __her__ wanting more?!_ "Bye! Er – good night!"

Julius turned and Molly tried not to watch him go until he disappeared around the corner. She shoved the key in the lock, turning it and hearing the release. _Why was she so disappointed?_ _Well, there was only one answer for that…_ Molly's face was on fire again. Spinning around, she hoped to see him there – creeping up again – but Julius was indeed gone.

She stood there for a minute, debating if she should go chasing after him, but decided that would be strange for the first date. _It was a date… right?_

Maybe it wasn't.

Maybe it was all in her head.

Or maybe he didn't like how the date went, and he didn't _want_ to kiss her.

He just narrowly escaped.

She had been friend zoned.

There was no other answer.

She shoved her door open, looking around in the dark before her hand hit the light switch, illuminating the room. Molly squinted through the light, taking her coat off and angrily kicking her boots off at the mat. Tired, she brushed her teeth, shut the light off, and slipped out of her pants, ready to go to bed in her tunic.

"_I __like__ you, Miss Platonic_," his voice came ringing back in her ears as she brought the covers up to her chin. She chuckled – she had to admit he could make her laugh…

"_You're beautiful."_

And he said that. That wasn't in her head. That was _real_. No matter what her paranoia was telling her, that was reality. And she would hold onto that.


	4. Chapter 4

Still plan on updating daily, so thanks for the interest. :)

* * *

**Chapter Four  
Tuesday, Winter 10****th**

* * *

Molly slept uneasily for the next few days. Even her animals started to notice. One of her sheep tried to kick some sense into her when Molly was blankly staring at the wall with the brush in her hand, not doing anything. Unfortunately, all that did was put Molly on the ground and in a bad mood.

She never planted anything in winter, so she was free for the day after her animals were taken care of. So Molly snuggled into her couch with a book and a blanket in an old comfy T-shirt, the television buzzing about the snow storm they were expecting at the end of the week in the background.

"—_could lead to major complications, but luckily, the Starry Night Festival should go undisturbed_," the woman on the screen recited.

Molly put the book down, not making any headway with her mind so easily distracted. Getting up, she performed a few stretches as the forecast continued to drone on.

She was about to put on some music to practice when she heard the television again. She hurled herself onto the couch and watched for the segment that was coming up.

"_Good luck getting a date, Castanet! Back to you, Gill_," the brunette on the screen smiled cheerily.

Molly hugged her knees uncomfortably as Gill appeared and began to talk about the Starry Night Festival. "_As you all know, tomorrow is the Starry Night Festival. It will be held in Flute Fields once again this year, starting at six 'o clock in the evening and ending at ten. Stay bundled up as Elli has forecasted low temperatures, and remember to practice safety first when walking out in the dark. Bring a flashlight or lantern if you plan on attending. The moon will be full for the occasion, and the skies will be clear enough to view the meteor shower. As always, use caution_—"

The farmer tuned him out, just staring at his face as he talked. She tried to imagine Luna with him at the Starry Night Festival. What would he even talk about? How safe they were?

Gill certainly wasn't romantic, Molly realized. He was business and all business all the time. But… so was Luna, rather. She almost single-handedly ran Sonata Tailor's because it was Luna who handled all shipments and finances and booking. The more she thought about her friend and the man on the television, the more she thought they had in common. Perhaps it was a good match after all.

Still, Molly felt exasperated watching Gill go on about safety and 'if you don't listen to me talking, you will surely die in this next festival' jargon and finally switched the television off. She suddenly wanted to convince Luna to get a tattoo, just to see the horrified look on Gill's face. 'Improper' would be the first word out of his mouth. Molly would bet a 1000G.

She laughed to herself, picturing some sort of butterfly tramp stamp on her haughty friend. The phone started to ring, and Molly didn't hear it at first. When she did, it was on its fifth and final ring, so she made a mad dive for it. She grabbed the phone, but she missed the arm chair by a mile and landed on the floor with an 'oof!'

"…_I'm a bit worried what that was, but I promise not to ask if you do me a favor,"_ the slick voice came over on the other end.

Molly fiddled with the idea of nagging about a 'hello' or a greeting of some sort, but she dropped it as fast as it occurred to her. She sat up, wrapping an arm around her windless stomach. "What do you want, Julius?"

"_Ooo, you make my name sound so fiery when you're angry. 'Julius!'"_ He mimicked her.

Blushing and shaking her head, she stuttered: "Wh-what is it?!"

"_Heh, it's so easy to get you flustered. You're so adorable, doll face,"_ he chuckled into the speaker. _"I need your culinary skills. And maybe your kitchen, if you'll will it to me."_

"What?" She said for the umpteenth time. "What do you mean my 'culinary skills?'"

"_You were holding a mixer, so I assumed you knew how to use it,"_ he said.

"Tch. Now who's stalking who?" She grumbled.

"_Ha, ha,"_ he countered sarcastically. _"Look, it's for Aunt Mira."_

More interested in the cause, Molly wrapped the phone's curly cord around her fingers. "What are you making?"

"_Cookies, if I can. See, she's going to be home alone on the Starry Night Festival, so I want to cheer her up some. Who can resist a plate of delicious, home-made cookies? I certainly couldn't."_

Molly's heart instantly melted. She bit her lip, letting the phone cord go from her fingers. Unfortunately, it knotted and it jerked the receiver from her. The phone crashed to the floor and hit surrounding furniture with a clamor as Molly struggled to catch it and reel it back up by the cord. Breathless, she pulled it back to her ear. "Eep! Sorry about that! I had a mix up with the phone…"

"_So shocked by my act of kindness?"_ He teased.

Molly rolled her eyes but blushed again anyways. "When do you want to come over?"

"…_Would now be too much of a push? I'd hate to inconvenience you, but if something goes wrong and we have to start over, I'd rather not be baking cookies at midnight,"_ Julius' fuzzy voice explained with a hint of doubt at her answer.

Molly's eyes drifted to her clock and noted that it was past two already. "Alright then… do you have ingredients?"

"_Of course! You don't think I'm so unprepared, do you? Oh my, how depressing,"_ he sighed.

"You know, it's difficult to catch sarcasm over the phone," Molly said flatly.

Julius actually laughed. She could practically see him winking when he said: _"Then I'll be over there in person before you know it. See you~"_

There was a faint _click_ and then static. Molly hung up the phone and looked around the room, panic bubbling in her chest. Her pants from Friday were still on the floor and her boots were blocking the door. Dozens of other outfits she tried on were still scattered about and some dirty dishes from earlier that morning and the night before littered the counter and the sink. There was dust on the phone table and very noticeably across the television screen. The place was a mess.

Jumping up, Molly tripped over the knotted phone cord and struggled with it for a moment before she hastily got to work. She picked up her clothes, and knowing Julius enough, she folded and hung them neatly. If he saw her mistreating her clothes, he would surely think it a blaspheme and refuse to talk to her ever again.

Okay, so maybe she was a little paranoid. But the effort didn't hurt.

Then she got to throwing the dirty things in her hamper and bringing out the duster and the broom. When that was finished, her television and floor spotless, she got to work on the dishes. She was still scrubbing when there was a knock at the door.

"One minute! My hands are all soapy!" She called, rinsing and quickly drying her hands on the closest towel. Molly flipped the hair from her face and ran across the room, wrenching the door open, cold wind hitting her full force. "Sorry!"

Julius was wearing the thick black coat she had last seen him in, holding a stack of food and baking supplies. He looked her up and down, his face slightly pink. "Sorry for being late or not wearing clothes?"

Molly's eyes bugged out of her head when she looked down at herself. She was still wearing her old T-shirt, but… nothing else. At least it was large and she had underwear, but… wow. This was a new low for her.

Her hands immediately came to her hot face first. "OH MY GOD!"

Before Julius could say something, Molly's next reaction was to slam the door shut. The poor, disconcerted farmer hurried to her freshly folded clothes in her bureau, muttering profanities. She dug through them in a mad rush, snatching the first pair of pants she saw. They were large, baggy sweat pants, but good Lord, they were _pants._ She tugged them on and guiltily returned to the front door, wondering if she should dare open it or not.

It finally swung open, Molly staring down at her feet. Her voice came out in a squeak. "Sorry… for that."

"I'll forget about it if that's what you want," Julius grinned, moving past her and entering her house.

_If she wanted? What kind of an answer was that?!_ Molly wanted to kick him and call him a pervert, but she was still too shaken.

Molly followed him, watching him look around her house. Julius removed the yellow scarf around his neck (that was more decorative than warm), and unbuttoned his coat. "Your house is—"

"I know it's small," She squeezed her eyes shut.

"—cute," Julius finished his sentence. "Exactly what I pictured."

"You pictured my house?!" She finally shut the front door, a new bad habit of hers.

"Oh, you haven't? That's disappointing," he mused.

It grew awkwardly quiet for a moment as Molly indeed tried to picture his house, and so she quickly brought up the first thing that came to mind instead – even if she wanted to avoid it. "Again, that was really inappropriate. I wouldn't have blamed you if you ran away. Screaming. I'm sorry…"

Julius rolled his eyes, turning and putting a hand on her head. "I said you were beautiful, right? Don't worry so much."

Molly burned red under his hand, getting up the nerve to push it from her hair. She smiled. "You know, I think that was the first time I've ever seen you blush."

Julius quickly turned the pink shade again, muttering: "Well, there are firsts for everything, hm? Now let's see your kitchen."

Molly laughed that he changed the subject, her confidence growing because his diminished. "Right over here in the corner, pinkie."

He pursed his lips at the nickname, but smirked at her. Walking to the counter, he swept a finger across its surface and turned back to Molly. "Your house is… very clean."

"Thank you, I try," Molly lied through her teeth.

Julius took off his coat, his back to her. Molly let out a small gasp, so he whirled around. "What?"

Molly took his coat for him, backing away to get the full view. He had a white long-sleeved shirt rolled up to his sleeves. It was tucked into a pair of jeans. It was completely and utterly not Julius. In fact… Molly brought a hand to her mouth. "You're… You're… You're dressed like Chase!"

He flicked a strand of hair from his face, shifting his weight into one side of his hip. "What can I say? He's got the style of a chef. So I cheated a bit – just getting into character."

Molly giggled behind her hand. "It's very weird on you… But it's not necessarily bad…"

"It's a shame I didn't have an apron to complete the ensemble," Julius sighed, perfectly serious as he inspected his outfit. He suddenly lifted an eyebrow to Molly. "Was that a note of surprise? Of course it looks good on me! I can pull off anything, darling."

Molly openly laughed as she hung up his coat on the rack. "Oh, please! I'm sure a dress would shut you up."

Julius pouted and posed with a finger to his lips. "You don't think I'd make a good girl?"

"Definitely not," Molly shook her head. She collected his things and put them on the counter, organizing them and opening cupboards to search for her measuring cups.

When Molly went to turn around, she found Julius had pinned her. A hand on either side of the counter next to her, he was dangerously close to her face. She visibly jumped, not having heard him move again. _How did he do always do that?_

"What makes you say that?" He asked, his voice lower than she ever remembered hearing it.

Molly fumbled with the measuring cups in her hands, avoiding looking at him as much as she could. She just knew her face was turning all sorts of shades she was just making fun of him for… "What?! Oh… I-I don't know! It's just…!"

"What?" He insisted.

"You're just not! I don't know…! I mean… a guy _can_ be fashionable. It's not a crime – what do you think I'm twelve? I can grasp the concept without thinking you must be gay," she argued boldly, glaring back at him. He was so close; Molly could practically count his mascara covered eye lashes. It made her more nervous by the second, but she was also claustrophobic, so the proximity was starting to really make her sweat.

The smirk returned to Julius' face as he pushed off from the counter, letting her go. The whole thing was a rather scary side she saw, but Molly wanted to know more. He had a real insecurity about it. For the first time in awhile, Molly remembered what the villagers said about Julius. _'Jay the Tray_.' Looks like they both had nicknames they would prefer to forget – with more meaning behind them than they cared to remember.

"I don't have a recipe, so you're going to have to help me," Julius' casual tone brought her back.

Molly shook her head and pushed the bangs from her forehead, looking down at the clustered measuring cups in her arms. "Um, okay. I have a recipe I always use for chocolate chip – is that okay?"

"Considering I have chocolate chips right here, that's excellent," he held up the bag.

"Great!" Molly smiled, setting down the cups. Finding a hair tie, she threw her hair up in a pony tail to keep it away from the food. She grabbed the large bowl he brought. "Can you find me two eggs and crack them? I'll get to work on the batter."

Julius silently went to her fridge and pulled out the basket she had. "How many again?"

"Just two!" Molly called over her shoulder, quickly measuring out the sugar and pouring it into the bowl. "Did you bring any vanilla?"

"Vanilla?" He asked, holding the two eggs.

"Like, vanilla extract?" Molly repeated.

"…No. Was that bad? I can probably find some—"

Molly waved her hand. "Nah, don't worry about it. I think I've got some…" She stood on her tip toes, reaching up to the highest shelf in her cupboard. She couldn't quite reach it without the stool, but she wanted to try without embarrassing herself in front of Julius again. The stool was just a reminder that she was only 5'4" and it wasn't exactly her proudest number. So she strained for a second before a pale hand took the small bottle she was stretching for easily.

He held it over her head mischievously, swinging it back and forth. "Is this what you're looking for, doll face?"

"Oh, give me that!" She said, clearly annoyed she couldn't get it first. Molly swiped it from his hand before he could lift it out of her reach. "What happened to those eggs?"

"Only if you ask nicely~"

"Julius…!" She whined, carefully dripping in the vanilla extract.

"Nice enough, I suppose," he conceded, placing the eggs next to the bowl. Molly looked from him to the eggs and then back. Julius did the same to her. "What?"

"Well, aren't you going to crack them in?" Molly asked.

"Are you kidding? And get that sticky stuff all over my hands?" He held up his fingers to demonstrate.

Molly crossed her arms. "Seriously? I honestly don't know how you cook for yourself at home."

"I don't use eggs," he replied easily.

"Which is nearly impossible around here," she pointed out. "Do you only eat vegetables?"

"Or eat out? Yes."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Do you even know how to crack an egg?"

"Of course!" Julius said too quickly.

It was Molly's turn to smirk. She put her hands on her hips. "Liar."

Julius rivaled the motion, putting his hands on his hips and looking down at her. "What did you call me?"

"Li—"

Julius had dipped his hand in the flour bag and closed it over her mouth, coating her lips with the stuff. Molly stared at him incredulously. Julius eyed her, almost daring her to fight back.

Instead, Molly brushed the powder from her chin. "I thought you didn't want to get your hands dirty!"

"Flour isn't entirely unpleasant to the touch," he argued, rubbing it around his fingertips. "Nothing like the sticky saliva of eggs."

Molly stuck out her tongue in disgust at the description and tasted flour. She sputtered with Julius chuckling at her. Glaring icily at him, she ignored him and took one of the eggs, expertly cracking it along the side of the bowl and splitting it into the powdery mix. Julius watched as Molly did the same to the second, tossing the shells aside. "Could you hand me a spoon, please?"

Thinking her revenge forgotten, Julius turned and handed her the large wooden spoon he brought. She mumbled something about wood being 'difficult,' but used it anyway. The batter quickly became sticky and thick.

"Chocolate chip time!" Molly announced.

"The whole bag?" Julius tore it open.

"Good gracious – no!" Molly yelped. Julius laughed at her outburst. "Just a couple cups!"

"Which ones?" Julius asked, holding up two different kinds of measures.

"The black one," Molly said. "The clear ones with the measuring lines along the sides are for liquids. The black ones are for solids."

"Hm," Julius stated simply. So he had learned something new. He poured the chocolate chips in as she instructed him to and spun the bag of extras closed. Molly eyed him distastefully, making him self-conscious. "What is it?"

"Nothing – just… I think you ought to tie your hair back somehow. We don't want long, purple hairs in the cookies," Molly suggested.

"Have a tie? And a mirror?" He added the last one, already gathering his hair.

"Sure, but you don't need a _mirror_," Molly handed him a black band off her wrist.

Grumbling about the lack of a mirror, Julius collected his many layers of hair and put them into a ponytail at the back of his head. A few strands fell loose. Molly giggled. "This must look ridiculous."

"No, I like it," she shook her head. "It suits you. Especially, you know, with the outfit. If only you had some hair pins so you could really get the 'Chase' look."

"Ooo, do you have any?" He was immediately excited to try it.

Molly laughed and pointed to her vanity table across the room. Julius fled to it, scanning the top until his eyes found some bobby pins. He saw his reflection in the mirror and let out a loud, offended huff. "This _does_ look ridiculous! Look – it's falling out on this side – why didn't you tell me?!"

"Oh, keep your pants on, you've got your mirror now," Molly scolded, taking clumps of cookie dough and forming them into circles on the baking sheet.

They both worked silently for a minute, Molly doing most of the real work, and Julius making sure he looked fabulous in the part. When he had fashioned his hair in a high pony tail and pinned back one side of his layers with a few bobby pins, he was satisfied. Striking a pose, he jumped up and hurried back to Molly.

"What do you think?" Julius turned his head back and forth.

Molly finished the last cookie and looked up. She smiled. "Much better! Do you like it?"

"I do kind of…" Julius admitted. "Though I could never put my hair through this much strain every day. I would hate to get bald spots!"

"You won't get bald spots from wearing a ponytail, Julius," she told him, sticking her hands in the extra cookie dough. Molly was glad he was completely oblivious.

"How do you know?" He fussed, tightening the band around his hair.

Molly took the opportunity since his hands were busy and dove forward. She swiped a glob of sticky cookie dough onto the tip of his nose. She jumped back, victorious. Julius stared at her blankly.

Almost immediately, Molly regretted it. Still, she spoke up. "You didn't think I-I'd forget, did you? Uh-huh. I just got you! I totally got you!"

The smirk returned to his face as he finished his hair and looked her over. "Feeling pretty smug, aren't you?"

"Very," she smiled sweetly, rocking back and forth on her feet in guilty pleasure.

Julius bit his tongue, her cuteness temporarily over-whelming his urge to show her up. It quickly passed when he stuck his hand into the mixing bowl. Molly was surprised enough that he dirtied his hand, so she wasn't prepared when he wiped the mixture on either side of her face.

Molly still gaped at him, not seeming to notice the batter on her face. "Hey, you got your hands all gross!"

"Don't think I didn't notice," he muttered, looking at his hand in disgust. "At least it's not runny like fresh eggs."

Molly put her fingers to her face, scraping the sweet dough off and licking it. "Mm… I love cookie dough!"

"I really don't see why," Julius started to use the spoon to get the stuff off his hands.

"You're missing out," Molly insisted, still licking her fingers.

Julius held out his hand in front of her face. Chocolate chips clung to his sticky fingers. "Does _this_ look appetizing to you?"

He was only joking of course, but Molly was quick to clamp her mouth onto his hand. It took a minute to register before both of them were blushing. Molly was full of apologies as usual as Julius stared at his slobbery hand in mock horror.

"Oh my goodness! I have no i-idea what I was thinking – I just l-love cookie dough and I… I wasn't thinking, and I'm so sorry – it was gross, wasn't it? That was so weird! I'm sorry!"

Julius smirked and presented his hand to her again. "Well, are you going to finish?"

Molly turned an inhuman shade and turned away. "Oh, j-just wash your hands, for heaven's sake!"

"You're probably right," Julius nodded, sticking his hands under the faucet and running the water. "We wouldn't want to have any accidents. Safety first~!"

Fuming, Molly hit him with the towel as Julius laughed at her. Eventually, things calmed down and the cookies went into the oven. The mess was washed (with a team effort now that Julius determined his hair was perfect) and things were put away or packed to go. The timer had a few more minutes, so Molly and Julius sat on the table and leaned against the counter respectively.

"I'm sure Mira will appreciate the cookies," Molly said, swinging her legs underneath her. "It was very sweet of you to think of her."

"You know, on the contrary, I'm really rather selfish," Julius admitted quietly, looking at his shoes. The bobby pins had become loose, letting some of his hair fall into his face.

"What?" Molly asked, surprised.

Julius crossed the space between them, and the chance he was going to get in her face again made Molly blush. Julius smirked and pulled some dried cookie dough from her bangs. "See, the reason Mira's going to be alone this year for the festival is because… I was hoping anyways… that you would like to accompany me."

Molly blinked. The possibility that he was asking her out on another date while she was dressed like a college kid on the weekend with her hair up on her head in a mess and cookie dough undoubtedly still on her face somewhere was just starting to sink in when her heart jumped again.

Still smiling, Julius repeated the action from before and put a hand on either side of the table by her waist. Molly's heart thudded against her rib cage, and the urge to run away returned. His eyes leveled with her big, terrified ones. "A romantic night under the stars, just you and me. So what do you say, Molly?"

He had given her the opportunity a few times now, so Molly took this one. As if pressuring her to hurry up, the timer for the cookies went off with a loud ring. She quickly closed the distance and gave him a timid kiss on the cheek. "Okay," she mumbled.

* * *

All his things piled high in his arms, Julius took his leave with the fresh cookies safely in tow. The pair lingered by the front door longer than usual until Molly piped up again.

"Um, so… tomorrow night?" She squeaked.

"If you're still for it," Julius nodded, the ponytail swaying. "I'll be at the festival grounds when it begins. Six, right?"

"Yeah – that's what Gill said on the news," Molly agreed. "Okay… so six."

"That's right, doll face."

Molly bit her lip. She was disappointed that she had chickened out at literally the last second and kissed him on the cheek instead. And she knew she was going to do it again now if she tried. _But!_ She promised herself. _Not at the festival. You're just going to go for it. Jump right in. Take a chance for once in your life… even if it could make everything really awkward and terrible – I mean, what if you're bad at it? What if it's gross? What if that's not what he's going for? Why am I still thinking about this?!_

"Oh!" Julius exclaimed, surprising her. He tried to grab at his head, but his arms were full. "I've still got your accessories! Help me take them out?"

"You can keep them if you want," Molly said. "I've got a ton."

"Really?" He asked, turning his head back and forth fast enough to see his ponytail.

She laughed. "Yes, it's okay!"

He stopped and smiled. "Thank you, then. You know, I never considered hairstyles very much when it came to fashion. I'll have to experiment in the future."

"Good!" She awkwardly nodded, not sure what to say.

Julius lingered a few, quiet seconds more. He let out a sigh and smiled. "Well, here I go! Thanks for helping me today, doll face."

"'Help?'" She quoted, hands on her hips. "I made the cookies – you played with your hair and got batter everywhere!"

"And now you're a poet, and I bet you didn't know it," he stuck out his tongue.

Molly stuck her tongue out back at him. "See you at the festival, you lazy bum."

"Lazy, _stylish_ bum," Julius corrected her.

"Oh, get out of here!"

Julius chuckled. He smiled to himself on his walk from Molly's farm.

When the door was finally closed and all traces of him were gone, Molly stared at the blankness in wonder. It was like he was never there. It was a little empty and strange.

She quickly ran across the room and landed on her couch, snatching the calendar off the wall. She stared at the date, dubiously marked 'Starry Night?' because she wasn't even sure if she would be going this year. Why get cold just to sit in the snow and stare at the sky? _Well, why the hell not?!_ Suddenly, it sounded like a great idea now that she wouldn't be alone. _Frost bite – screw it. This is going to be awesome._

Molly spun around her house until late that evening, having devised the perfect outfit before bed. She attempted to tire herself out with a little practice, but she completed a few routines without breaking a sweat. She wasn't sure how she would get to sleep with so much excitement in her veins, but when her head hit the pillow, Molly was out like a light.


	5. Chapter 5

Note: I took the liberty of changing the name of the news station. Harmonica New Station or HNS wasn't as catchy to me. See if you like what I chose. :D

Thanks so much for reviewing, everyone! Wow, I really didn't expect this… I hope this next chapter satisfies!

* * *

**Chapter Five  
Wednesday, Winter 11****th****  
The Starry Night Festival**

* * *

Molly turned off her flashlight in a silent, subtle rebellion to the mayor's son. He hadn't lessened any of his warnings about village safety on the news earlier that day and even got a whole half hour segment to lecture about it.

Molly was painstakingly doing her make-up, so she wasn't really listening to Gill until she caught his announcement: _"—will be covering the festival on CTVLive as it happens. For those of you at home, enjoy the coverage of the meteor shower. And those of you who are attending, remember to keep warm and—"_

The brunette dropped her eye liner (which may or may not have been a certain one she kept using), and ran to the phone. Snatching up the body, she swung the cord around the table and pulled it across the floor. Sitting on her bed with her feet tucked underneath her, Molly chewed her lip as it continuously rang on and on.

"_Hello?"_ An annoyed voice picked up the receiving end. A quick scolding could be heard over the line in the background. _"Luna! That's not how you answer a business line!"_

"Luna? It's Molly," Molly quickly said.

"_Molly?"_ Luna's voice asked, considerably brighter. _"What's up? Going to the festival?"_

"That's why I was calling, actually," Molly fiddled with the phone cord, careful not to tangle it like last time. "I was wondering if you were…"

There was a strange, muffled sound on the other end. _"Of course I am! Why?"_

"With… your family?"

Silence. There was a rustling sound after a minute in which Molly assumed she got her grand-mother and sister away from her. Luna finally came back in a whisper. _"No. Why?"_

"Well, I just heard Gill saying he was going to cover the festival… Live and all… and… I didn't know what you were going to do," Molly choked out, feeling rather stupid for worrying.

"_Ha!"_ Luna's voice came back full volume. _"What makes you think I'm going with that loser?"_

"Y-You're not dating anymore?" She asked, voice full of concern.

"_Not since yesterday,"_ Luna said matter-of-factly. Molly could just see her inspecting her nails. _"I heard that pretty, little announcement before that broadcast. Just yesterday, in fact. He told me – I broke up with him."_

"Because… you couldn't go to the festival with him?" Molly asked.

"_Because__ he didn't tell me until right before the festival when I had gotten my hopes up, and yes, because he ditched me for this __job!__ I was – no, I __am__ – so insulted!"_

Molly sympathized with her friend. "Okay, I guess, yeah… I'm sorry about that."

"_Don't be. I've got a date. A __better__ date. In fact, I was just doing my hair when you called,"_ Luna stated.

Luna refused to tell Molly who was taking her, but Molly insisted she just find her if she felt lonely at any point during the evening. Molly made Luna promise before she hung up to finish her hair. Molly had to finish her hair, too, so she put the receiver back in its cradle still with some reluctance.

And here Molly was walking up the path by herself. But out in the cold, Molly wondered why she tried to do her hair in the first place. It was very, very cold – frost was on her tongue and the air bit through her clothes. Icicles hung from the trees likes leaves, and they sparkled in the light of the full moon. The moon was the reason she didn't need her torch. It reflected off the snow, illuminating the world like it was midday.

_So screw Gill and his flashlight rules._ Molly thought smugly. _Ditching Luna for a part-time news anchor job… Poor, Luna. I hope she isn't too sad tonight…_

Molly was glad that Luna was so caught up in her own problems to question Molly. She wouldn't have been able to tell Luna about all the… 'stuff' that was happening with Julius. She didn't know how else to describe it – so 'stuff' it was. Well, whatever the term she used, Luna would not be amused. And looking back, Luna had technically been right so far. She had predicted Julius wasn't casual from the start. But… maybe it was obvious. Molly refused to believe he was some bullying, starved artist character. That just didn't seem right.

Molly looked up at the stars. Darkness came early this time of year, but her mind drifted back to a time when night would come when this festival was supposed to end – at ten. Goodness, she missed summer. She missed autumn. She missed spring. She was sick of snow and the season wasn't half over yet.

She sighed. _How the heck was this festival supposed to end at ten anyways? What would they do – force everyone to go home? Turn off the moon?_ Molly never questioned the deadline until now as she walked along the bridge towards Flute Fields. It sounded ridiculous.

Stopping in her tracks, she looked up at a familiar figure halfway across the giant stone bridge. He was leaning on the stone wall, looking up at the sky.

Molly knew it was going to be near impossible, but she wanted to try anyways. She didn't quite understand how Julius could sneak around so quietly all the time. Maybe this time she could scare _him_…

She tip toed through the snow. Inevitably, it crunched under her boots. Still, Julius didn't seem to notice, wearing his fluffy striped coat like it was autumn. Molly crept uneasily behind him, raising her hands to tap him on the shoulders.

"Honestly?" He suddenly asked.

Despite herself, Molly yelped in surprise. Julius chuckled and turned to face her, looking down as Molly snapped her fingers in vexation. "I was so close!"

"Darling, you could never sneak up on me," Julius insisted with a wink. "I could smell you a mile away."

"You can… smell me?" Molly laughed half-heartedly.

Julius leaned forward and inhaled her hair, making her cringe. He nodded. "Yup. Cheap shampoo – I know that smell anywhere~"

Molly stomped her foot, her face going crimson. "Well, e-excuse me for not being able to afford the fancy fragrant stuff!"

Julius laughed and turned back to the wall of the bridge. Molly eyed him for a minute before going to the wall herself, propping her elbows up onto the snowy ledge. She peered down into the dark water that flowed beneath. It slid its way to the ocean, carrying chunks of ice frozen by the mountain from upriver.

"Careful – if you lean too far, you'll go flying over. And I'd hate for your lovely hair to get wet, doll face," Julius complimented casually.

Molly's gloved hand quickly went to the curled bun on her head. "O-oh? It's n-not bad?"

"I like it," he nodded. "The effort is very… cute."

Molly knew it was supposed to sound nice, but it made her feel like an inexperienced little kid. Like she didn't know how to fix up her own hair… With a sigh, she looked out at the black ocean, the stars above them growing brighter with the night. "Any reason we're not at the actual festival?"

Julius shrugged, his hands interlaced off the wall. "I like this spot better. Not so many people staring at you staring at the stars, hm? We can move if you like."

"No… Here's good," Molly agreed. She chanced a look his way, eyes going up and down. He had his hair up in a ponytail again – she really did like the look. He wore heart-shaped loop earrings, but the more Molly stared, she realized they were clip-ons and his ears weren't actually pierced. With the yellow scarf and long red pants, Julius was dressed as he was the first day she officially met him at the Accessory Store. Now that she tried to remember, she couldn't think of what he looked like when they first ran into each other at Kathy and Owen's party. She just remembered his eyes and the amused smirk…

"Something the matter?" Julius asked without looking at her.

Molly blanched, having been caught staring again. "You look cold."

He lifted his shoulders slightly. "A bit. But it's worth it to look your best~!"

Molly certainly didn't think so. "What happened to your other coat? Isn't it warmer?"

A sly smirk broke out on his lips. "Are you worrying?"

Molly bit her lip and nodded.

Julius looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Well, maybe if you weren't so far away over there, we'd both be warmer."

Put on the spot, Molly looked at the distance between them. It was big enough for another person to fit comfortably, so it really rather was her fault this time. Nervously, she scooted closer and stopped. _Maybe a bit more…_ She inched just a bit further, almost touching his elbow with hers. When she was mentally measuring if she could safely go any closer, Julius slid over past her elbow. Her eyes widened when he rested his head on hers.

"Much better."

Molly stood there blushing under him, holding onto the wall for support for her Jell-O legs. Through the dark silence, she could hear a strong voice monologue-ing. When she turned her head to look past Julius, she could see the outline of Gill with the cameraman at the top of the hill. She worried for Luna, wondering where she was at the moment.

"Did you actually want to come with me or was it a guilt trip thing?" Julius suddenly asked above her. She could feel his jaw moving when he talked.

"Huh?" She asked stupidly. Molly peered up and found Julius looking back down at her. "Wh-what are you talking about? Of course I wanted to come!"

"Why?"

Molly chewed her lip. _Was he going to make her say it? Well, what was it that she was going to say anyways?_ There was a sudden pit in her stomach. Was this her big moment? Before she could think it through, she found her tongue already spitting out words to cover for her silence: "Because I… I don't know…"

Julius hummed something, a song she was sure she recognized but couldn't pin point. "I'm sure you're not deaf either, doll face."

"Huh?" Molly repeated.

"People talk about me, too."

Molly hung her head, accidentally hitting Julius in the face with her bun. He leaned back away as she didn't notice.

Of course Molly knew what people said. And it was mean and nasty and altogether untrue. So… why couldn't she tell him that? The words were just too scary – too real – for her to say. Instead, she started to stutter in her attempt, locking her eyes on the river below them. "I-I don't… I don't c-care… I mean… I-I… I l-like… you!"

Julius stared at her with a shocked expression. Just knowing she did something wrong, Molly shrunk in on herself, holding her hands tight to the zipper of her coat at her neck. But his face immediately broke out into a wide, teasing grin. "She likes me?! What is _this?_ Blasphemy in the highest – she's said the fated words!"

Molly laughed as Julius twirled around, making lop-sided tracks in the snow. After his little dance was through, he jumped and landed gracefully by her again. He leant on the bridge, holding his head up with one hand propped on his elbow. Julius gave her a devilish smile. "It was my charm and good-looks, wasn't it?"

Surprising herself, Molly shoved him. "Sh-shut up! You're so obnoxious!"

His eyes twinkled, quickly recovering from the push. "So you like when I'm obnoxious? You're a very strange lady, doll face."

Molly pouted but was quickly distracted by the lights in the sky. She pointed an excited arm out over the ocean. "Look! The meteor shower's starting!"

Julius and Molly were silent as they watched the dozens of falling stars. Both were awestruck by the beauty of the night. Neither made a move to start conversation again but each kept thoughts of what to say on their own.

Julius glanced down at Molly, who was concentrating on the sky, bouncing on the balls of her feet. There was something strange about this farmer. Julius couldn't help but be intrigued. How could she hide herself away on her farm for _years?_ Apparently, she did some talking to the other ranchers and farmers, but from what he gathered, her only real friend was Luna. That was certainly a fun coincidence. But out of all the people on Castanet, what did Molly see in Luna that made them grow close? Better yet, what made Luna so drawn to Molly? Was it the same pull Julius felt?

He decided that she was so interesting because she was so childish. She was so incredibly naïve and silly and stuttering. Like everything in the world was brand new to her each day. The sense of excitement and discovery easily rubbed off onto those around her. It would explain the Luna thing, too. She was always playing the protective sister. He knew that all too well.

Julius had his eye on Molly for a few seasons now, trying to figure out how such an innocent personality could hole herself up in such a hard-working career. Not able to come up with a suitable answer, things rather fell into place when she decided to seek him out. It was rather a pleasant surprise. And of course, Molly's obvious interest was even more intriguing to him. Julius felt like he was playing a strange game of cat and mouse, but he couldn't label what the consequences of that relationship were quite yet.

Molly was squinting at the stars, one eye closed. Without warning, she thrust both hands forward, slapping them together with a _thump!_ of her fabric gloves.

"I caught a star!" She held up her closed hands proudly, jumping up and down in excitement. "I caught one! See, Julius?"

He stared at her curiously. "What are you doing?"

Molly blushed, still clasping her hands tight. "It's… just something I've done since I was a little kid. It's kind of a weird story, I guess…"

"I'm listening," his smile was genuine.

Molly elaborated quickly. "When I was small, I would watch for shooting stars with my parents. My dad felt bad for me since I could never make my wish in time before it disappeared. So he told me there was a way around it… I just had to reach up – and _wham!_ Catch it in my hands. Then I could tell it my wish before… letting it go."

Julius watched her with amusement, making Molly's insides twist. She looked down at her balled hands. "I… guess it's pretty dumb to continue it, huh?"

"Let me have a go first," Julius said. Molly stared as he held up his fingers in a square like he would take a picture. He squinted like Molly had, keeping one eye shut. A few meteors passed and he reached out to catch them, pretending to miss. "Huh, this is harder than it looks…"

Molly giggled as Julius struggled to catch a star. Finally, his hands closed firmly together and he spun to face the farmer. "Got it."

"Well, now you have to make a wish," Molly instructed, holding up her closed hands for him to see. "You have to whisper it really quietly so no one will hear and then… just let it go."

Julius whispered something into his hands while Molly furiously thought of what her wish would be. _What did she want this year? Make some more money? Upgrade her house? Finally rank as a Hero Farmer?_ As she tried to think, all she could do was stare at Julius' face. She blinked, already knowing what she was going to come to wish for in the end as she stood before him. No matter what she thought otherwise, she had a wish on her mind. A frivolous, stupid wish.

"Done?" Julius asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Uh…" Molly quickly put her hands to her face, moving her lips but barely making a sound. _"_I wish…

"–_for a kitty!"_

"–_for perfect teeth!"_

"–_for no more math homework!"_

"…for courage."

Julius still watching her, Molly lifted her hands out over the bridge. She beamed at him. "Okay, ready?"

He mimicked her, holding his hands over the water. He nodded. "Ready, doll face."

Molly drew her hands apart, as did Julius. It was a bit silly, but she really felt like her wish might come true. _Just maybe… Just this once…_

Julius let out a heavy sigh, watching the meteors fly over head. "You know, Molly… this is the first time I've spent this festival with anyone else… like this."

Molly gaped at the confession, completely taken by surprise. He was so flirty and light-hearted, she was sure he would've had plenty of dates far better than this one she kept making awkward…

He suddenly grinned, still not looking at her. "I know what you're thinking – what? Julius? That debonair, fashionable, gorgeous—"

"Okay, Casanova," Molly interrupted him with a chuckle.

He flicked some hair from his face. "You're right. I'm such a poser."

She immediately shook her head, stepping forward. "No, you're not, I—!"

"Hush a moment," Julius interrupted her, clapping a hand over her mouth. Her face grew hot. "They're right about me, too. I'm narcissistic. I can be a bully—"

Molly pulled his hand from her face angrily, her eyes burning. "No, you're not, Julius! You're a nice guy—you really are! Don't let what anyone says make you doubt yourself. It'll – It'll ruin you!"

Julius could easily tell she was speaking from experience and this surprised him. He stared down at the top of her head; her shoulders slumped in embarrassment after her outburst. Molly was awfully small. "Nice?" His tone was teasing. "But don't nice guys finish last?"

"N-no!" Molly shook her head, quick to look up and meet his eyes. "That's not true!"

"Oh?" He smiled doubtfully, slowly inching closer. "Now what makes you the expert?"

"Because… it's because…" She faltered, staring up at him. Something clicked and she knew how to prove her point. Afraid he would surprise her somehow, Molly took control by grabbing his head and yanking him down. It was unexpected; as she saw his maroon eyes were the size of dinner plates before she smashed her lips against his.

It wasn't more than two seconds, but Molly already felt it was too long. She quickly recoiled; a little shocked at what she just did – his smell still engulfing her. Julius stood straight, staring at her like she was some sort of wild animal: his lips parted slightly with eyes wide.

Molly pinched her eyes shut, trying to make her heart stop racing. She was sure it was loud enough that she wasn't the only one who could hear it thumping in her ears. Her feet drew backwards suddenly and the instinct to run, that had been building up inside of her since the start, finally kicked in as she spun on her heel and took off along the bridge towards home.

* * *

"I'm so stupid!" Molly wailed, slamming the door behind her. _He's probably terrified of me now – that look on his face! Oh, I knew it! I knew I shouldn't have, but I did – I'm so, so __stupid!_

Molly gently hit her head against the door, locking it with a twist of her wrist. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

But did it look worse that she ran away?_ 'Courage!' Ha! She was a coward. A coward through and through._ Just how on Earth would she ever face him again?

Molly took off her coat, angry enough to throw it at the rack and leave it lying on the floor. Kicking off her boots, she was immediately disappointed her painstaking work to wear the perfect outfit didn't even matter. The black dress with the long red corset was quickly discarded as she found some comfortable pajamas to cuddle into.

Her mousy brown hair still piled elaborately up on the top of her head, Molly snuggled into her coach, flicking the television on. She knew she wouldn't sleep any time soon.

The house was completely black as the blue screen filtered through, illuminating her person in an unearthly glow. She had left it on the news channel, and as it wasn't ten 'o clock yet, the festival was still being covered: _Live!_ Molly groaned, but she was curious enough to watch for a few minutes.

Gill was shivering in his large black coat that reached his knees. He had matching black gloves, and wooly green earmuffs. The CTV logo with '_Castanet Television'_ written underneath it in italics was sewn into the lapel of his coat.

Bringing the microphone to his mouth, he said in a smooth voice: _"This year's festival seems to be going off without a hitch. Clear skies and safe participants with nothing of an alarming nature to report. Please enjoy a few more minutes of the skyline,"_ he hinted, so the camera man panned up above Gill's head over the expansive fields of Marimba Farm.

Molly found herself watching the meteor shower on television long enough for the cameraman to pan back to Gill. He was completely stoic, Molly observed. The break-up certainly didn't seem to affect him at all. But then again, Gill had a miraculously good poker face.

"_It is currently 9:23 this evening and the meteors are still falling. It's a miraculous sight – as you folks at home can plainly see on your set_," Gill rambled. Molly felt bad. Did he want to go with Luna? They really didn't need to record the _entire_ thing. And by the time he gave, Gill had been doing this for almost four hours.

"_It's absolutely bone chilling out here: temperatures downwards of sixteen degrees Fahrenheit or about negative nine degrees Celsius. If you're one of the happy couples out here, CTV hopes you took proper precautions… against…" _

Gill trailed off at the sight of a rapidly approaching shadow. Molly's mouth dropped open. She grabbed at her head, not believing what she was seeing. Someone in the background shouted: _"Luna!"_ Before her best friend appeared on screen.

"_Happy?!"_ She shouted, poking a flabbergasted Gill in the chest. She looked stunning, wearing a similar ensemble to the one Molly had last seen her in, but Luna was fuming. _"Do I __look__ happy? I'm down there with this fucking idiot who can't shut the hell up about his fucking low pay, dumbass job at the Fishery, and you cavort around up here repeating the same things to people who don't give a damn and are probably so old they're __sleeping__ by now!"_

Her poking had escalated to roughly pushing him in the shoulders with every curse word she yelled. Molly was wearing the same expression as Gill, not able to accept that this was reality and not some horrific sitcom for older audiences.

"_So don't you __dare__ tell me I'm some happy go lucky idiot! Do I look happy?! DO I?! NO!? Because I am __not__fucking__happy__, Gill!"_ Luna's voice shrilled as she gave him a final shove and stared him down. The cameraman was filming all of this, his eyes riveted on the couple like everyone else on Castanet.

Gill closed his mouth, opened it to say something, and then he stopped. He looked like a very pale fish gulping air. Molly watched with bated breath as he straightened his bolo through the gap in his coat – his face the color of his favorite tomatoes – and cleared his throat, giving the camera a quick glance. The red recording light made him gulp again. _"This isn't really the __place__, Luna…"_

"Oh, no…!" Molly knew that was a bad move.

As if to prove it, Luna's temper flared: ignited once again. _"Does it look like I care?!"_ Her voice cracked on the last syllable and she choked suddenly on sobs. Molly's heart was breaking for her friend, but she still couldn't believe she was seeing this meltdown on her television set at home.

Tears spilled as Luna shouted again. _"I'm so __miserable__ here! Why didn't you come after me, Gill? Huh?" _She hiccupped. _"I mean… I…"_ Luna gave him a pathetic punch in the shoulder. _"I love you, you __idiot__!"_

Molly fell over. She recovered in time to look up at the screen to see Luna hugging Gill and bawling into him. Gill looked from her to the camera for a second before it went into static.

_So much for 'not knowing if it would work out!' She loved him! __Everyone__ knew that now…_

_Well, they finally stopped filming it, but… oh my goodness!_ Molly never knew Luna had such a colorful vocabulary. _Or that she would use it on CTVLive! _

Perhaps Molly's festival wasn't so bad…? _Certainly not as dramatic!_

The farmer stayed up cleaning her house, keeping the television on the same channel in case something should happen again. But apparently, everyone had enough of _Live!_ Broadcasting, and the TV screamed static until Molly fell asleep on the sofa.


	6. Chapter 6

Yeah, Luna kind of lost her shit last chapter... Hopefully we find some answers in this one, eh? :)

Thanks so much for the reviews and favorites, everybody! You guys are awesome!

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**Chapter Six  
Sunday, Winter 15****th**** – Monday, Winter 16****th**

* * *

The Thursday after the Starry Night Festival, Julius stopped by Molly's house. She was surprised to see him there, but he just claimed he was bored as it was his day off and he didn't know who else to bug but her. It wasn't exactly a compliment, but Molly knew that the kiss at the festival didn't ruin anything because he decided on a visit.

That day was spent in front of the television. It was a lazy way to spend the day, but Molly didn't mind and Julius certainly didn't. She was awkward as usual when it came to sharing her couch with him, but they got along fine and watched a few shows and a movie. He left like it was just a casual visit, waving goodbye when it was dark out. Molly admitted to herself she was worried about the infamous 'friend zone' again, but bigger problems distracted her.

For instance, Luna had virtually gone into hiding. Sonata Tailor's was not taking in any walk-in business and they rarely answered their phone. When they did, it wasn't Molly on the other end. The poor farmer couldn't contact her friend no matter how much she tried, and she was pulling her hair in a mixture of suspense and worry.

When Sunday rolled around, Molly was inside, having completed her outdoor chores. An aspiring dancer, Molly pulled out one of Mrs. Clarence's instructive videos from the class she took with her and put it in her VCR. Molly completed the warm-ups, feeling much better now that her muscles were occupied with exercise.

"Now we're going to speed things up a bit! Remember the finish, girls!" Mrs. Clarence's voice called from the screen, echoing in the dance hall.

Molly missed Mrs. Clarence a _lot_. She would spend hours and hours with the old woman after school and even on the weekends, practicing swing in her giant, empty room. When Molly decided to move to Castanet soon after graduating from college, Mrs. Clarence was sad to see her go, but ready to see Molly tackle the world on her own. Of course, Molly certainly didn't feel that way – she was hardly ready to split from her favorite teacher, confidant, and friend. To make up for the gap, her old dance instructor taped some of her classes and sent them to Molly. She didn't know that the farmer still danced to them as often as she could find the energy.

When that was done, Molly took a breather before getting to work on her indoor chores. She finally pulled out the vacuum again and was sweeping her floor with a lollipop in her mouth when someone knocked at the door. She didn't hear them over the roar of the sweeper, and she was blasting music and dancing along (although not as timed as before of course). The person outside the door pounded again, _hard_. This time, Molly was startled enough to turn her music down and switch the vacuum off. She looked around, wondering what on Earth that banging sound was when it was repeated against her front door.

"Sorry! Coming!" Molly dropped the vacuum handle. She finished the lollipop with a crunch and tossed the stick in the garbage. Tripping over the cord as usual, she scrambled up and nearly ripped the door from its hinges. "Luna!"

Her friend stood there, hands in her pockets with a sour expression. She looked up at Molly, taking in her messy outfit and ponytail before seeing the vacuum behind her. "Busy?"

"No, no! Where have you been? I've been so worried, I—" Molly fussed, holding the door.

"Can I come in?" Luna interrupted. "It's cold."

"Oh!" Molly nodded. She opened the door wide and Luna stepped in, kicking the snow from her boots. "Of course, um… How are you?"

Luna was silent for a minute, looking around Molly's house. She finally sighed. "Well, I'm alive."

"I'm surprised!" Molly admitted.

The seamstress laughed, taking off her coat. "Yeah, it's been interesting after… you know…"

"Oh, Luna, I was so surprised!" Molly took her coat and hung it up.

Luna fingered the television set, playing with the antennas. "Did you hear about it, or—?"

"I saw it. The whole thing," Molly added; feeling embarrassed for her.

She made a light, humming sound. Luna tapped her stocking clad foot against the hard wood without rhythm. Luna turned and suddenly frowned at Molly. "Oh, Molly, it's been awful!"

Molly rushed forward, giving Luna a much needed hug. She ushered them to the couch where they both collapsed, both sitting on one leg and facing each other ready to talk.

The brunette spoke first: "So… what… happened exactly?"

"Well, you saw it," Luna sighed, pushing the fringe from her forehead with her palm. "Obviously, I lost my temper."

"Yeah, obviously," Molly nodded, holding in a giggle. "You were a downright _beast._"

"I know, okay?!" Luna wailed.

"I meant it in a good way," Molly laughed. "I've never seen anything like it! I… admire the way you c-can wear your heart on your sleeve."

Luna smiled bashfully, looking down at her hands. When she looked up, she was distressed again. "But that's what got me into so much trouble! Oh, Molly, it's been _terrible_."

"So…?" _He didn't take you back? _Molly didn't dare ask outright.

"Are we together?" Luna sighed again. When Molly nodded, Luna did, too. "Yeah…"

"Oh, good!" Molly smiled and clapped her hands. "So what happened when the cameras went off? Did you hit him again?"

"Molly!" Luna scolded, her face turning red. "I don't remember you so… oh, never mind."

Molly was glad she never minded. She couldn't deny Julius was rubbing off on her.

"But aren't you happy? You're with Gill, right?" Molly was absolutely giddy that things worked out in the end.

Luna puffed the pink bangs from her eyes. She slouched into the couch, arms crossed. "Yeah, but everything I didn't want to begin with is happening!"

"The mayor…?" Molly guessed.

"Hamilton's been breathing down our necks now to get married," Luna admitted. "It's been driving me nuts! I'm not ready to get married!"

"Well… you love him, don't you?" Molly asked.

"Yeah…" Luna rubbed her eyes. "But do you know what marriage means?! Marriage means children. _Children!_ I'm not ready for kids, Molly!"

Molly gasped when she saw Luna was starting to cry. She awkwardly leaned across the couch to hold her. "Oh, Luna… I'm sorry. I don't know what to say…"

Luna sniffled behind her hands. "I-I just don't know anymore! I mean… I… I couldn't stand seeing him with someone else, but why should I hold onto him, y-you know? If I-I don't even want to get married, you know?"

"Well, marriage doesn't have to mean kids right away," Molly comforted, thinking of her family. "My parents didn't have me until they had been married for fifteen years!"

"R-really?!"

Molly giggled. "Yeah! You can take your time. Plan it with him or something, you know?"

Luna nodded, so Molly let her go. She reached for the tissue box and handed it to the scared girl who greedily took a few and blew her nose loudly. "I guess you're right… But his father's so excited about becoming a grand-father – he just won't leave it alone! It's like he thinks my uterus will just implode when I turn thirty."

Molly laughed at that and Luna started to giggle, too. It really got Molly thinking though. They were both twenty-three, turning twenty-four in the spring. They weren't old, but… were they running out of time for husbands and families? It was jarring, and Molly better understood Luna's fears as she found they were quickly becoming her own.

The girls grew quiet, so Molly offered to make some tea. Luna agreed it would be nice, so the farmer went to the kitchen and found her kettle and filled it with water. Switching the stove on to let it boil, Molly came back and plopped on the couch. She reached for the remote as Luna blew her nose again, but the second she moved to turn the television on, Luna smacked the clicker from her hand.

"Hey!" Molly whined, watching it spin across the floor and under the kitchen table. "What was that for?"

"You can't watch TV," Luna demanded. She wrung a fresh tissue in her hands before dabbing her eyes with it and throwing all of them into the waste basket at her side. "I… They're airing… my apology."

"Your _what?_" Molly asked: her voice astonished.

Luna bit her lip, bringing her knees to her chin. "Obviously, they weren't just going to ignore me… _raging_ on a live, public station…"

"So they made you apologize?" She cocked her head to the side.

"In a broadcast that is premiering right about now. It'll be repeated Wednesday morning and Friday night as well… I'd rather you not see it. Especially when I'm here…" Luna admitted.

Molly nodded, but her curiosity was nagging at her. "So… what did you have to say?"

Luna let out a huff. "Just a bunch of junk how it was inappropriate to interrupt the live broadcast, I regretted cursing, and of course, I had to mention how the Fishery wasn't a dead end waste. And I had to give Toby another apology in person. That was a nightmare."

Molly mulled this over, nodding her head with a finger to her chin. "Why did you go with _Toby?_ Was it to make Gill jealous?"

Luna turned beet red, looking away. "Because he _looked_ the most like him! I know – it was stupid, okay?"

"Okay!" Molly giggled. The pot whistled, so she bounced up to prepare the tea.

The girls spent the rest of the day together, playing catch-up after being busy all season. They chatted and played their favorite songs to get their minds off of the festival. Of course, the topic of Molly's night eventually came up and the farmer couldn't avoid it this time.

"Julius!? You went with _Julius?!_" Luna pulled at her pigtails, their tea cups empty and pillows from Molly's bed in their laps.

Molly hugged her pillow, anger being her first reaction. "No one gives him enough credit! He's a very sweet guy if you give him half a chance!"

Luna stared at Molly, her bright blue eyes narrowed to slits. "You're blushing."

Molly grabbed her face defensively. "I-I am not!"

"Good gracious, you _like_ him, don't you? You're actually dating him, aren't you?" She accused.

"We-we're not dating!" Molly shook her head. "It's… it's completely platonic!"

"Oh, _please!_" Luna rolled her eyes with extreme exaggeration. "Who do you think you're fooling?!"

"Oh, Luna, please don't make fun!" Molly cried, hands moving over her eyes.

"Fine," Luna bit her tongue, literally, too. Sighing heavily, she smacked her lips and blew air through them. "So. Why?"

"Because…" Molly mumbled, peeking through her hands. Her face was so red she looked like she was cooking herself under there. "He's very nice… and… he's unique… and nobody seems to want anything to do with him (or just mainly you), and it's not fair because… because he deserves a chance. He's just different."

Luna just crossed her arms, watching her friend.

Molly took this as an invitation to elaborate. "And he likes me, Luna. I mean, I think… I think he _really_ likes me. No one's ever paid me any attention… before…"

Her friend's face softened a fraction, but it looked more like pity than understanding. "But Molly, he goes after girls like you. Like my sister."

_Back to the Candace argument._ Molly folded her arms. "But I'm not Candace! I can take care of myself…!"

"Like hell you can!" Luna argued. "Listen, he tormented my sister for years—"

"I don't believe it," Molly shook her head stubbornly.

Luna narrowed her eyes again. "What do you mean, you 'don't believe it?' You think I'm lying?"

"N-no!" Molly's resolve obviously broke first. She bit at her lip. "Are you sure he wasn't just… teasing? And she couldn't handle it?"

Luna continued to glare at her friend until she finally confessed. "When I was sixteen, I punched Julius in the face."

"Oh, Luna!" Molly gasped, scandalized somehow.

Luna sniffed haughtily, her arms over her chest. "I don't regret it! I'd do it again, too, because… That was the day his 'teasing' went overboard. Sure, he teased her. A lot. More like relentlessly. Ever since we were little. It was obvious he liked her, but… well, you know Candace. And besides, we were all kids, so it was just… weird. He would always call her things like 'pigtails' and silly things like that, but she never paid him any attention. I decided he was annoying, but…"

Molly listened, spell-bound. Everything so far sounded just like something Julius would do. She couldn't help but picture herself in Candace's shoes, but the nickname was 'doll face' this time around.

"He lashed out at her. He didn't hit her or anything, but he yelled. It was kind of scary," Luna continued, letting her arms fall over the pillow in her lap. "It's was like he just snapped. But what did Candace do? Nothing! She didn't deserve any of it. I mean… he said some _terrible_ things. I know Candace rejected him again, but he just… took it really badly. Said she probably thought he was gay. Then it quickly flipped and he started telling her that she must be a lesbian and she was mean and she'd never get a date if she tried. Stuff like… nobody wanted her," she clenched her fist at the memory, staring down like she was seeing it again. When her eyes flicked back up to Molly's face, Luna said: "So that's when I intervened. I hit him and told him to never talk to her again. Shockingly enough, he didn't! But that didn't take back any of the things he said. So, look… I'll punch him again if I see him, regardless, but I really don't want to have to hit him for you, too. Okay?"

Molly nodded slowly, trying to take this in. There was no way Luna would fib about something like this. What was the point? Not able to find a motive, Molly was forced to believe her. And the story was spooky. But one thing that was different was that… Molly was not Candace. She wasn't pushing him away. Then again, her running away from him at the festival spoke volumes against that.

Molly was angry, and she felt betrayed that Julius had played this game before, but she wanted more answers none the less. Still, Luna was appearing very wise on this particular topic. Perhaps she had better finally heed her advice…

Luna was watching Molly, trying to guess what she was thinking. All she saw though was pain written across her friend's face, and she already knew that most of the damage was done.

Molly let out a shaky breath. "I guess you're right… I-I didn't know… that he… It just sounds so unlike him!"

"Well, since you're all over him, I doubt he'd being yelling at you yet," Luna smirked.

"What?! I-I am not!"

"Riiiight," Luna agreed sarcastically. She lifted her pillow over her face just in time before Molly's pillow came crashing towards her face. Luna whacked her with her pillow and the girls went back and forth a few times before getting sick of being hit so they stopped.

Molly flopped to the floor with a groan, landing on her stomach.

Luna raised an eyebrow, watching her. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know what to do!" Molly whined, rolling underneath the tall sofa.

Luna laughed. "Get out from under there! Honestly, you're going to get your clothes all dusty."

"Hey, I vacuumed!" Molly's voice peeped from below.

Chuckling, Luna hung her head over the side of the couch to look at Molly upside down. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, Molly. You'll have to figure this kind of thing out on your own – I've told you all I can."

Eventually, Molly emerged and they fixed a meal. Luna was reluctant to go back home, but both girls had exhausted most of their conversation topics and it would be dark soon. So Luna promised to start answering the phone again so Molly could call, and they parted ways.

Blowing the bangs out of her face, the door clicking shut behind her, Molly decided she'd take a shower. She finished vacuuming her floor, and picked out a pink night gown for after her bath.

Half an hour later, steam poured out of the bathroom as she walked out barefoot. Scouring the floor for the remote, Molly turned the television on to have something to look at while she dried her hair. She curled up on the couch, the colorful lights brightening up the room. Finding a plug underneath the end table, she switched the drier on, shivering. _Everything felt cold after a hot shower, especially in winter. How much longer until spring?_

Avoiding the news station for Luna's sake, Molly found herself watching a cartoon instead. There were sprites bouncing everywhere, fighting some sort of battle. She came in on a late episode in the series, so nothing was making sense as her hair dried under the hot fan.

Molly turned the drier off and watched the rest of the program. She was surprised to hear the familiar voice of Gill as one of the characters. _He did voice acting, too?! Gee, he sure was a busy guy…_

"_Better get out of here,"_ Gill's character said. From what Molly gathered, he was a bad guy on the show. It made her giggle. _"Take the Harvest Goddess hostage."_

_Even as a cartoon, Gill's serious and bossing people around!_

Molly watched as the distressed heroes watched the Harvest Goddess be stolen away. The episode ended on a cliffhanger. Young at heart, Molly wanted to watch more and find the earlier episodes somehow.

She was disappointed at first, but another episode was up next – it was out of order in the series, but Molly was excited to see it anyways. She always loved double features. Molly bounced up to see if she had any popcorn stashed away.

"_Back-to-back 'Harvest Squadron Sprite Rangers' continues on CTVKids!" _The television cheered as Molly searched. Disappointed she couldn't find any popcorn, she settled on the half-emptied bag of chocolate chips Julius had accidentally left behind when they were baking.

Molly crashed back onto the couch with a flying leap, turning towards the television with her hand jammed in the bag of semisweet chocolates. She watched eagerly as the energetic theme song ended and the show began.

There was a rap at her door.

Molly looked up, miffed by the interruption and rather confused. It was very dark outside. Aloud to herself, she mused: "Did Luna forget something?"

Leaving the chocolate on the sofa cushion, Molly hopped up and walked towards the door, flicking the switch for the porch light at the same time. Snapping back the bolt, Molly took a wary peek into the cold.

"I didn't know you locked your door, doll face," Julius grinned down at her. "Somehow that comforts me."

At the sight of him, Molly felt the odd mixture of excitement and apprehension, but now anger was added to the mix. Now she knew the Candace story, and she didn't like ignoring the fact that she looked like an obvious rebound. Glaring, but blushing at the same time, Molly folded her arms against her misgivings and the freezing air. "What do you want?"

"Good evening to you, too," Julius' eyes brows shot up at her obvious displeasure. "Any reason for the mood?"

"It's late," she answered shortly, hearing the sounds of the cartoons battling behind her.

"And I thought the weather was cold," he commented. There was a bite of ice in his words that absolutely terrified Molly after the story she heard.

"Why are you here?" She asked, her voice irritatingly small. She silently scolded herself to speak up.

Julius shrugged, back to his charming self. "I'm looking for a scarf I left somewhere. Have you seen it? It's yellow."

Molly saw through the terrible lie easily enough. "Why are you _really_ here?"

"If you really want to know, I wasn't satisfied with our last visit. I felt it was lacking. And I wasn't going to try to sleep again when I knew I couldn't," Julius spilled flippantly. "I wonder – what does that mean?"

Wanting to get her only thoughts out in the open, she stuttered: "Does… does 'pigtails' mean anything to you? R-remind you of something? Like… l-like 'doll face,' maybe?"

Julius stared down at her. Molly was caving in on herself as her tenacity was quickly dying under his hurt expression. "So… Luna finally told you?"

"And? Are you going to tell me she lied?" Molly challenged darkly.

"No," Julius shifted his weight. "But then again, I don't know what she said."

Molly looked at the snow falling behind him. "That you yelled at Candace after she blew you off, s-so… yeah. And that you said some particularly nasty things."

"Then…" Julius decided. "No. I'm not going to tell you she was lying."

Hurt and secretly hoping Luna was wrong, Molly backed away from the door. Her eyes stung. "W-well, I'm not your second Candace! And-and I refuse to be treated that way!"

The door slammed shut. Molly was immediately feeling guilty, but she knew it was for the best. _…Right? Right? Right?!_

Her ribcage shook uncontrollably as she slid down to the floor with her back to the door and the first tears slid out. Molly tried to take a deep breath, but it came out in a raspy, choking sound.

"Molly, listen!" Julius called from the opposite side. She was surprised he was still there. "I was wrong. I was an absolute brute – but just a kid! It hurt with Candace, I admit it, but what I said to her was completely uncalled for. The product of a person like me."

"D-don't apologize to me!" Molly wept. "Tell it to C-Candace!"

"You think I didn't try?" He was raising his voice. "Every time I get in a thirty yard radius, her sister attacks me!"

"Oh, please!"

Julius frowned, bruised by this, too. His voice was smaller. "I thought… you'd give me a second chance."

Molly didn't reply. _What was making her cry this much? Why did it __hurt__ this much?_

The quiet was eating them both alive. Finally, Julius scuffed the door with his boot and turned away. Head low, he quickly walked away from the farm house. He had been stupid to try. Selena was right. It was wrong. It was a game. It was… almost real. Close. But now people were hurt, and he was back to square one.

Molly felt his presence leave after he hit the door. She sighed to herself. _So it was done. …But why did it feel so wrong? Who was right? Luna? Or Julius? Was she hurting herself if she went after him? Was he getting what he deserved? Did he deserve a second chance with a girl like Molly? She shouldn't…. But giving him a second chance sounded so right! So Luna? Or Julius? Who was right? Luna – no, Julius – or… Luna…? No, Julius! But…_

"Enough," Molly whispered to nobody, exhausted with the whole business.

She scrambled up, following her heart for once. Looking out the window, she couldn't see much, so she opened the door. It creaked on its hinges, making the silhouette in the distance turn around.

Spotting him in the dark, Molly tore from her house – sprinting through the snow in her bare feet with only her pink night gown on. It barely reached her knees, so she was freezing and her wet feet quickly went numb as they thumped against the hard-packed ground. But she couldn't stop running. Even when Julius was growing dangerously closer…

So Molly pounced and threw her arms around his neck, wrapping her legs around him to keep her off the ground. He staggered back from the impact but kept his balance. Julius was slow to react to what exactly just happened, or if this crying pink blur was really Molly, but he was quick to hug her back.

"I-I missed you," she whimpered over his shoulder, inhaling his smell. To her, he always smelled like a fancy hair salon. It was both humorous and refreshing.

Julius laughed, but it was weak. "Already?"

Molly dropped her legs down, and Julius had to maneuver his arms so her dress wouldn't get caught. Settled back safely on the ground, Molly wiped her wet eyes. She smiled up at him. "C-can we… start over?"

"That's moving back a bit," Julius pouted.

"Fine! Then… how about… reset to…" Molly tried to think of something witty.

But Julius was serious. "The bridge," he answered. Molly turned red and stared down. Just then, Julius noticed how she was dressed. "Molly! You haven't any shoes!"

"Yeah…" she nodded, observing her toes. "My feet are kind of purple, aren't they?"

"Only someone as crazy as you would have run out here like that! What am I going to do with you, doll face?" The nickname was habit, but he quickly regretted saying it considering the fight they just had.

But Molly laughed, showing she was working to get over it. "Want to watch cartoons? I was in the middle of a marathon when you oh-so-rudely asked me about a phony scarf."

Julius smirked and Molly took off. Once she was back inside, she felt the stinging pain in her feet. She scurried to the couch, wrapping the blanket tight around her and picking up the chocolate chips.

Julius finally appeared at the door, never one to run, and laughed at the sight of the shivering girl munching at the blue screen. She looked up, teeth chattering. "W-well? Close the door! It's c-cold!"

He shut the door and left his boots at the door with his coat. Walking over, he peered down at the sofa curiously as Molly was in the smack-dab center. Devious as always, Julius slinked around behind her, stretching across the whole sofa.

"Hey!" Molly whined, hitting him with the bag of chocolate. He caught it before it made impact and stole a few chips. "Couch hog!"

"Says the girl sitting on two cushions," Julius countered.

"Sh!" Molly ended it, putting a finger to her lips and pointing excitedly at the set. "It's back!"

Before he could ask, a brightly-colored cartoon came on the television screen. He had more fun watching her reaction to the show as the episode progressed. It was a children's program, but Molly was enamored. _So easily entertained. Just like doll face to like this sort of thing._

Slowly, Molly relaxed into Julius. She leaned back against his knees, putting her feet on the stand below the tiny TV. She was still wrapped tightly in the blanket. Molly explained during commercial breaks how she just found the show, and that Gill apparently voiced one of the characters, and that the plot was really interesting despite the corny jokes – which she later admitted she enjoyed. Julius listened willingly, glad she was giving him a chance, and this time it was a real one. They had broken some sort of wall a few minutes ago, but neither of them could quite identify what it was.

By the end of the program, the channel started to play reruns of different, older cartoons. Molly at first offered to change the channel, but she was soon in love with these shows, too. She was saying things like: "This was made in 2002?! Where have I been?!" "Oh, no – look!" "Oh, she's so in over her head." "That guy is so mean!" She wasn't stuttering or cowering or being self-conscious. She was just Molly, being herself at home. This different side intrigued Julius, and he wondered if he'd see it again.

Eventually, Molly grew quieter and quieter until she silenced completely. She soon slipped down beside him, huddled in her blanket with her eyes drooping. She dozed and blinked at the television at random intervals before her eyes closed for the night, her breathing steady.

Julius stretched his arms out, knowing he wasn't going to be going anywhere. The show that came on next, _Mastery of Beauty_, interested him for a bit, but his eyes soon closed, too.

* * *

Molly blinked her eyes open, the first thing she heard was – unnervingly – Gill's voice. Eyes hitting the television, an early morning run of last night's back-to-back feature of _Harvest Squadron Harvest Rangers_ was playing for anyone who missed it. The next thing she saw was the fluffy coat on the rack.

Bolting up, Molly looked at Julius who was sleeping soundly on the couch beside her. His lips were parted slightly, but he didn't snore or make a noise. The striped shirt he wore was rolled up to his elbows in a sloppy fashion. Sometime during the night, he stole part of Molly's blanket and it was tugged over his shoulder. The eye liner around his eyes was smudged, and his hair was tangled.

The farmer had never seen Julius look so… normal. It was nice to know he wasn't perfect from the moment he woke up. The haphazard appearance was new, but it was nice. It was kind of cute somehow.

The bag of chocolate had fallen to the floor, scattering chips everywhere. It was still dark outside, so she must have woken up in the early hours of the morning. Molly turned her head to where the clock was, but she couldn't make out where the hands were.

Almost guiltily, she stared at the spot she had just occupied close to his chest underneath his chin. Making up her mind, Molly lowered herself back down onto the couch cushions, pulling the blanket close. She closed her eyes.

Julius opened one eye suspiciously. He had woken when Molly stirred suddenly, but he feigned sleep so as to avoid having to get up. Sure, the sofa wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't the end of the world. His heart pounded when Molly settled back down after seeing him, snuggling close and falling back asleep. Julius smiled to himself, sure that she would notice his rapid heartbeat.

She didn't.

* * *

The second time Molly awoke, it was bright outside. The television had turned to static from being on all night and it had lost its signal. The fuzzy hum was probably what bothered her enough to open her eyes.

She stretched, rolling onto her back. She saw the clock and sprang into a sitting position. Molly turned to Julius, full of worry. "Julius! Julius!" She whispered.

Julius chose not to respond, faking sleep again. But when Molly swung her legs down, he suddenly snatched her arm, making her squeak. "Sh… It's early."

"Julius!" Her voice sounded relieved he was awake, but he kept his eyes closed. "It's morning!"

"That's nice," he answered her shortly, tugging on her arm.

"But Julius, it's half past seven!" Molly said this like it was the most horrifying thing in the world. It was really, but it was because he was awake not because he was late.

"That's nice," he repeated, letting out a lazy yawn and shifting. He still didn't release her arm.

"It's Monday! You have to work, Julius!" She shook his shoulder.

"Come back…" he whined, yanking her arm. Molly fell back against him, eventually lying back down reluctantly. "Much better."

Molly was the color of a tomato, staring at the snow on the television set. "B-but… the store, Julius…"

"Molly, if you say my name again, you're going to make me squeeze you like a teddy bear," he threatened. She quickly quieted, so he was rather disappointed. He liked when she said his name so much. She made it sound better. "Do keep in mind that my _aunt_ runs the shop, and there are rarely customers. _Especially_ on Mondays when people like to sleep _in_."

The girl blinked a few times. She knew it was wrong, but… what if… they just over-slept? That was a simple enough excuse… She could even take the blame for keeping him up half the night watching cartoons… "Yeah… O-okay…"

Julius opened his eyes for the first time, looking down at the mousy brown hair directly beneath his chin. He smirked, wrapping an arm around her and squeezing her tight, carrying out his threat anyways. Letting out a sigh, he let his eyelids droop.

Molly still wasn't sure, but she _never_ got to sleep in. Though she worried about Mira alone at the shop and her animals, she knew Mira could probably hold her own for a little while and the animals would be fine until she woke. So she drifted back to sleep, ignoring the buzz of the television and holding onto the warm arm around her.


	7. Chapter 7

These chapters have been really rather long. I'm sorry if it feels like rambling! From here on out, the chapters _should_ be shorter than the four thousand word average I've been dishing, but I can't make any guarantees…

Again - thanks, everybody!

* * *

**Chapter Seven  
Thursday, Spring 5****th**

* * *

Molly was absolutely delighted when the snow finally melted. The grass poked through, brown at first, but rapidly grew greener. She felt fresh and new like the year, ready to see what was in store for this next birthday.

Twenty-four certainly wasn't an extraordinary number, and Molly knew she didn't act like it. She was more like some high schooler ready for the summer. And often times, she was that awkward child in the back of the classroom, reading a novel layered over her text book. If you asked her for a pencil, she would scream in surprise, drawing all eyes to her.

But this year, Molly was determined to shed that part of her. That shy, quiet, uncomfortable insecurity she had harbored since her earliest memories. It had to go.

Of course, the New Years' Festival was a little nerve-wracking at first. Julius and Molly walked hand-in-hand into the glowing display of Harmonica Town. As the town's only farmer, Molly was Castanet's quiet golden girl. When people saw her locked hands with the flamboyant fashion guru, eye brows lifted and questions were asked. Molly surprised herself how easy it was to talk to other people when the topic wasn't about her. She valiantly defended whatever it was they had, but the villagers stared on doubtfully. Still, they made it through and had a good time without much bother.

Molly also got another call from her mother, and this time she got to speak to her father as well. Both wished her a 'Happy New Year.' Molly debated telling her parents about Julius, but finally caved and told her mother that she had made a new friend. Though she pried for details, Molly left it at that, promising to inform them if it was anything serious.

The only real disappointment was that Luna purposefully avoided her. Molly could tell she was angry, but since she was spending the festival with her family (and Gill and Hamilton, of course) she figured she was keeping her distance for Candace's sake. Or at least Molly hoped she was. If Molly had to choose Julius over Luna or vice versa, she would've had to find a way to split herself in half. There was no way she was giving either one of them up now.

To start off the year and her new, extroverted self, Molly made a raspberry pie and knocked on Julius' door.

She had never been to his house, but she had seen it in passing. For seasons, she had thought it was another house for rent. It was directly across from the giant water wheel in Flute Fields. It was a small cottage, lacking in style – shockingly enough. But perhaps there was some sort of building code that he was following. Knowing Julius, he'd be flying flags and loading his house with flowers in typical peacock fashion.

Molly swayed on her feet nervously for a few seconds. She wasn't the type to knock more than once, even though she might have knocked too quietly. Molly would sooner wait for fifteen minutes than dare appear rude and impatient.

Eventually, the door swung open. Luckily, she didn't have to wait the quarter of an hour she was prepared to, but the few minutes had given her enough time to collect her bearings and smile at Julius on the threshold. Molly held up the raspberry dessert. "Pie?"

Julius cracked a smile, but the farmer could tell he had been frustrated with something prior to her appearance. "Well, aren't you the sweetest, little thing? Come in, doll face, you're just in time."

"In time for what?" Wrinkling her brow in confusion, Molly stepped past Julius as he closed the door. Now the interior was much more reminiscent of the jewelry maker. Much like the Accessory Shop, the first color she saw was red. There were variations in pinks and purples and the furniture was stained cherry. Molly stared at the room, blinking slowly. "Wow, your home is very nice. And very red."

Julius chuckled, his violet hair in a high ponytail again. There was a pencil jauntily stuck at the base, but it was obviously more for show than functionality. "What can I say? It's my color."

Molly set the pie on the counter with the server she brought. "So what was it I'm in time for exactly…?"

"Come, come," Julius snapped his fingers and pointed at another room.

Molly walked first with him following close behind. Her face grew warm when she saw that it was his bedroom. Clothes were hanging around the room, hangers jammed into anything that would hold them. Some were strewn across the striped blue comforter of the bed and an orange dress was draped over the desk chair.

"See, these are all wrong," Julius motioned to the outfits scattered about the room, waving his hands around his head to point at all of them at once.

"What are they? Why are they wrong?" Molly asked two questions at once, her eyes fixed on the chair.

Julius sighed, crossing his arms and putting his weight in one hip as usual. "They're late entries for Sonata Tailor's spring collection. I just hate them all."

"Oh, don't say that," She scolded, quickly passing him by and picking up the orange dress. Molly held it up for him to see. "This is lovely!"

Julius smirked. "I knew you'd like that one. Why don't you try it on, doll face?"

"Oh, I don't want to soil it," Molly quickly rejected.

"Nonsense!" Julius said, throwing his arms in the air again. "It's just a draft anyways. The real ones are made by the people at the tailor shop."

"You mean there's no other dress like this one?" Molly asked in slight awe. The ruffles around the neck and the slim design were eye-catching to her. She liked it very much.

"The one and only," he confirmed, throwing himself onto the chair the dress vacated.

"I… I didn't know that you designed clothes for them," Molly piped up. She knew it was loose ground, but she wanted to know anyways.

Julius frowned, cocking his head to the side. "We may not see eye to eye, but Luna knows when good business is good business. They're rubbish at designs, so I do the foot work for them."

Molly giggled. "Oh, don't say that… But I'm glad you get to design these things. They're so lovely."

Julius looked her up and down shamelessly, making her blush. "See, that's why you have perfect timing, doll face. I'd like you to be my mannequin."

"Y-Your wh-what?" Molly held the dress to her chest protectively.

"Good gracious, don't sound so thrilled," Julius teased, poking her in the side. She yelped, jumping back. "You've a good figure for the job, albeit you're a bit petite. So go put that dress on for kicks and giggles, and then we'll see what we can swap with these outfits to make a decent ensemble. We need five more for the collection – what are you still wearing those hideous jeans for? Get that dress on, so we can get to work!"

Flustered, Molly squeaked about a bathroom. Julius insisted constant trips would take too long, but Molly wouldn't budge – she didn't want to change _in front of him!_ Though he insisted he would be completely unbiased and gentlemanly (like hell!), he finally brought out a screen for her. Red in the face and heart all in a flutter, Molly went behind the screen and stripped.

"After this, can we eat pie?" Molly's small voice asked from behind the paper divider.

Julius laughed, rolling his eyes. "Yes, we'll eat your pie, doll face. Now come on out! Let's have a look-see!"

"Er, uh…" Molly was trying to be her new, bubbly self, but so far, she was failing miserably. There was just too much for her to handle at once. _So tomorrow, definitely. She'd be brave tomorrow…_ Right now, she was having a bit of trouble. "I can't seem to get the zipper…"

Julius stood and slinked around the screen to see what the issue was. Molly was reaching for it behind her back, but she couldn't seem to find it. He laughed at her and spun her around. Purposefully, Julius ran his fingers along the bare skin of her back, making Molly shiver with nerves. He smirked, grabbing the zipper tag and pulling the dress closed. "There we go! And I bet you were worried you were too fat. Silly doll face!"

Molly looked down at her bare feet. The ruffles were just in front around the neck and the orange was vibrant. It hugged her tight. "D-Does it look alright?"

"Of course! You look ravishing, darling!" Julius spun her in circles to get the full view.

Molly was feeling dizzy by the time he had stopped twirling her, so she wasn't prepared to catch the clothes that were thrown into her arms. Most of them hit the floor, but she caught a pink tank top with one strap. "What are these?"

"A sudden idea – quick, put them on!" Julius insisted, picking the things up she had dropped and placing them in her outstretched arms. "Your beauty is inspirational, doll face! Quick now before I lose it!"

Julius unzipped the dress. She wasn't prepared – again, with all of the articles in her hands – and the dress started to slip off with him still there. Angered, she yelled about rushing her and dropped everything, holding up the dress. Molly shoved him away from the screen – he was laughing, of course – and quickly wriggled her way out of the orange number.

Julius was busy as a bee as he continued to throw different pieces at her over the top of the screen. Whenever she emerged, Molly felt rather silly, but Julius' bright smile cheered her up and motivated her to continue.

When they reached the last outfit, Molly was wearing a dashing cap that matched her striped bell bottoms. The vest and boots – she felt anyways – were a bit over the top, but it was one of the first outfits with pants, so she wasn't about to complain. Molly liked dresses, but she was a pants girl; always one to prefer blue jeans over a pencil skirt any day.

She adjusted her hat, giving Julius a twirl. "So what do you think of this one? Julius?"

His mouth was a thin line as he concentrated on the sketch pad balanced on his knee. Julius had one leg on the ground and the other scrunched on the chair so the paper was close to his face. After a minute of not answering Molly, she stepped behind him to see what he was drawing.

"What are you erasing?" Molly asked over his shoulder.

Julius smiled at her. "Sorry, doll face, had to change the design before I forgot. My sketches go to the shop with the outfits. Now let's have a look – step back a bit."

Molly did as she was told, spreading her arms out horizontally. "Well?"

"Hm…" Julius tapped the pencil to his lip. He still had the other jammed in his hair, proving it was a fashion statement alone. He smirked evilly. "I just don't see it. Your emotionless face is bringing me down."

The brunette stomped her foot. Insulted, she said: "Well, what do you want me to do? Ham it up?"

"That would be excellent!" He nodded in all seriousness. "Strike a pose!"

"Oh, Julius, I'm no good at this sort of thing…" Molly awkwardly stood there holding her arm. "I don't know what to do."

Julius dropped his leg, resting the sketch pad on this lap. He clapped his hands together once. "Pretend you're a superstar – the highest fashion magazine wants to snap your picture!"

"Oh, I don't know…"

He leapt to his feet, leaving his notebook on the chair. He held up his hands like he had an invisible camera. "See, I'll be the paparazzi! Pose for me, darling. Smile! Pout!"

"Pout?!" Molly groaned, slouching her shoulders.

"I suppose you could seduce me instead," Julius gave her a wink.

Molly swatted at him, but missed. Putting her hands on her hips, she gave him a doubtful smile.

"Closer," Julius admitted, pushing one of her arms down. "Now shift your weight – that's my girl!"

He had never said that before, throwing Molly for a spin. _His girl?_ She shook her head, quickly bringing herself back into the moment. "So… pretend to be you," Molly concluded, growing a mischievous smile of her own that may or may not have been encouraged by his term of endearment. "Oh, that's easy!"

Julius watched, biting the inside of his cheek as Molly twirled, smiled brightly, winked, and blew kisses. He watched, slightly baffled, turning a deep crimson.

Molly finished the show with a peace sign and then held the brim of her cap, looking out from under it with the most seductive look Julius had ever seen on her. The blush on his face was complete, so he looked away.

"What's the matter?" Molly asked sweetly, enjoying her effect on him. She laced her hands behind her back, leaning towards him. "Intimidated by my impression? Hit the nail on the head, eh?"

Julius swiped the hat off her head, spinning away from her. "N-No! You're simply too much, doll face. Hysterical."

Molly gasped, a large smile spreading across her face. She pointed accusingly. "You stuttered! Oh my goodness, I made you nervous! You're embarrassed, aren't you? Got you flustered, didn't I? Haha! The tables are _finally_ turned!"

When Julius whirled around, she knew she had made a mistake. Molly quickly backed up, hitting the wall by his desk. Julius smirked; his face still tinged pink as he closed in on her, putting an arm on either side of her shoulder, crossing his feet casually. "Careful what you wish for, doll face. I don't react the same way you do."

Eating her words, Molly looked at his arm planted firmly next to her against the wall and threw her best glare at him though she looked red as the walls. "Why do you d-do that? Cornering me like, like this?"

He put his lips next to her ear; his breath making shivers run down her spine and her heart ignite. "Because…" his voice was lowered. "Those eyes of yours always say: _run_."

Molly knew Julius was right, but the truth never sits well. She tried to jerk away, but he kept her pinned. "J-Julius, let me go!"

The demand was pitiful, but he answered, backing away. Julius was wearing the amused smirk again; smug that he could read her so easily. "Go on, Molly. I'm not going to force you into anything. Let your legs carry you away with your nerves! I'll still be back here where you left me."

_He's so calm and collected all the time – he never gets nervous!_ Always so confident and cool. Always taunting her, mocking her, for her timidity. It was_ infuriating!_

Luna had a bad influence on her. Temper flaring, Molly shoved him. "N-No! Shut up! You've no idea what it's l-like!"

Julius glared down at her. "What do you mean I don't know? What it's like to be rejected?"

"No…" she mumbled, quickly cooling.

"Good," he still glared, arms crossed. It was quiet between them for a moment before he took the initiative to tap her on the chin. "What if I told you I wouldn't push you away, no matter what you did or said?"

Molly colored but gave a small smile. She spread her arms. "Even if I told you this outfit was hideous?"

He twitched. "Okay, except that."

She giggled. "I was just kidding… But… um… okay?"

Testing his promise, Molly stepped forward onto her tip toes and gave him a soft kiss. She hurriedly fell back to her heels, biting her lip. "S-Sorry…" She tried again, straining her feet. Molly thought she didn't know what the hell she was doing – especially since her first kiss ever was a hit and run a couple of weeks ago. But something clicked this time. Their lips locked again but longer, parting and moving.

Julius' hand held the back of her head, pressing her closer. Molly's eyelids fluttered in surprise, but she let the kiss deepen. Her legs were shaking so much she almost fell over.

Molly forced them apart, not able to reach him anymore. The contact broken, both of them blinked in confusion – for Molly that it seemed to go well and for Julius that she was the one to instigate it.

The farmer looked down at her shoes, trying to get her mind off of the intoxicating smell of him. "C-can we have pie now?"

Julius rolled his eyes, quickly snapping out of the daze. "Of course – I didn't forget."

"Liar."

He smirked, lightly poking her cheek. "Alright, I did forget. I can't help it, doll face – you taste much better~"

"Eh, Julius - gross!" She complained, covering her burning ears.

Julius laughed, following her out to the kitchen.

Since Molly was still wearing his design and they were both blushing like mad, for once they were on the same ground. Equals. And they finally looked like an actual couple.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks guys! Your comments make my day! :D

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**Chapter Eight  
Thursday, Spring 26****th**

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Thursdays became the new weekend for Molly. As a farmer, she never really had a weekend, but Julius' day off became hers in a way, too. When she would spend the extra time (after her animals were out grazing and her crops were watered) tidying up her home or out foraging for herbs and berries, now she was spending the afternoons with Julius. They visited each other's houses and did quite a bit of talking, but now kisses plagued their conversations.

There was no doubt that things had rapidly begun to escalate. Where the old Molly would have been scared out of her mind, the new Molly had stuck to her promise to be brave (somehow) and found the whole experience exciting. She never had a Julius in her life before, so it was an interesting thrill. And every spare moment they had, they were spending it together. If Molly noticed, she would have seen that she was drifting away from Luna and almost never called her anymore. The calls to her family back home were fewer. Her visits to Horn Ranch and Marimba Farm became only for business. If she looked at her funds, she would see the loss that came without the wild findings for back-up. If she gave half a thought to anything outside of her bubble of romance, she would have seen that her style choices were changing and she was considering dying her hair – something the old Molly would never have dreamt of. She was changing.

But this was new Molly, and this Molly lived for Thursdays. It was a honeymoon phase, and she was on cloud nine. Nothing could jar her from this blissful, puppy love state except maybe something deeper.

On a Thursday evening in late spring, Molly found herself sitting in front of her vanity. Julius was making tea in her kitchen, now knowing his way around well enough to prepare it without asking her any questions about mugs, mixes, or stove knobs.

The old shoulder bag was still full of different cosmetics, and Molly was determined to go through them all. Eyeliners – both stick and liquid, a dozen shades of lip gloss, different kinds of pencils, multiple mascara brushes, and a few compacts of eye shadows and face powders littered her cluttered vanity table. Sticking her tongue out in concentration, Molly leaned towards the mirror, carefully brushing her eye lashes with an ebony colored mascara paste that clumped very easily.

Julius watched her from across the room, fixing his focus on the mirror where he saw her attempting to screw the cap back on. He shook his head and made his approach.

Even though Molly protested, he had cut his hair. It was by no means short – it still hung around his shoulders – but he had lost the long tail down his back. Julius claimed shorter hair was trendier, so he had willingly hacked it off himself for the fun of it (and to practice more fashion with his hair like he said he wanted to). For a spontaneous whim, he rather liked it. That night, his layers were pulled back in a half ponytail at the back of his head, most of his hair still hanging down underneath it. The layers that were caught in the hair tie that Molly had given him all those weeks ago were short, so they stuck out at odd angles.

Though she should have seen him coming in the mirror, Molly was too consumed in twisting the crooked cap to notice Julius until he leaned on the chair and said: "It looks too dark on you."

"Eep!" She squealed, turning to face him. "Julius, I've told you a million times not to scare me like that!"

"You really ought to pay more attention to your surroundings, love," he chided, taking the mascara from her and easily closing it.

Molly let out a huff, her attention back to her reflection in the mirror. "What do you mean it's too dark? Isn't all mascara dark?"

"I was talking about the eyeliner. The color you have is 'ebony.' See?" He turned the discarded stick around to show her the fine gold print. "You have very fair skin, so you don't need to go that dark, doll face."

"Well, I don't see what else I can do…" She sighed, grabbing a tissue to start over again.

Julius took the tissue from her, dabbing it on his tongue to make it damp before going for her eye.

Molly ducked and dodged his hand with a wry face. "Ew, Julius – no! Gross!"

He rolled his eyes, kneeling on the floor in front of her. "Oh, don't be such a baby. It's not like my tongue hasn't been all over your face already."

"Julius! I-It has not!" Molly scolded, her face flaming. She crossed her arms in defeat though, silencing from the argument.

Smirking, Julius put the tissue to her eye and wiped the mascara away. It took another tissue to get all the black make-up from her other eye as well. "You really loaded it on, doll face…" he commented.

"Well…!" Molly had no excuse other than the truth. "You knew from the day we met I don't know a thing about this… stuff. How am I supposed to know if I use too much or not?"

An eyebrow shot up as he gave her an appraising look. "Why don't you find a brown one? I'll go get the tea."

Molly did as she was instructed – she hadn't heard the kettle whistling until he mentioned it. While he poured the hot herb tea into mugs, adding sugar to Molly's, the farmer dug through the different sticks in front of her. She read each one carefully, twisting them around before dropping them again. Julius returned, smiling at her haphazard manner of going through them – she accidentally checked the same one twice while he was standing there.

"Here you are," he handed her a mug. Molly dropped the eye liner she was holding and said a 'thank you,' taking it from him. She sipped it as Julius expertly chose a muddy brown eye pencil, barely looking as he picked it up and tested its point on his wrist.

"How did you see that?" Molly asked, dumbfounded. "They all look the same!"

"Not to the trained eye, darling," Julius said. He took a sip from his mug of tea and cleared a spot on the vanity for it. He held the pencil up. "It's an art, and as an artist, I'm going to show you how it's done~"

Molly smiled, happily closing her eyes.

She didn't see the smirk that lit up his face, but she didn't have to in order to know it was there. The pencil brushed along the tip of her eyelid. Molly twitched involuntarily but found out how to resist so he wouldn't accidentally poke her in the eye. Julius held her face in his other hand to steady her, and Molly leaned into it. "Okay, open up – bottoms now."

Molly opened her deep brown eyes, staring at the ceiling. Meticulously, Julius' hand flicked the pencil by her eye lash line. He was about to tell her he was done, but he made two quick slashes on either side of the out edges of her eyes, giving her cat eyes.

Molly watched silently, holding her warm mug in her lap, as Julius put the eyeliner down and roved over the large selection she had. He picked a small brushed mascara and went back to attack her face with it. Molly didn't have any protests – she rather liked his help and Julius was having a blast giving her a makeover though his face didn't show it. He bit at the inside of his lip, narrowing his eyes in concentration.

"So is this what you do with Selena?" Molly asked quietly, trying not to move too much when she spoke.

"What's that, doll face?" Julius frowned as he tested another color on his wrist.

"You mentioned Selena's show once. That you designed her outfits," she shrugged. "Do you do her make-up, too?"

Though he had hoped that this was a steamy jealousy angle, the tone of her voice cut off his suspicion. Molly genuinely seemed curious, so he answered her. "Sometimes. Selena can handle herself – but on the rare occasion, she needs a helping hand from a professional. Just like anyone else."

"It sounds like fun… But what about you?" Molly could easily see Julius fussing over a stage performer. She secretly wished that she could be that dancer, but she knew all too well her own limitations and fear of the stage and the public eye. No, that girl would never be her. But the fact that Julius wanted to do her make-up for her anyways made her feel special.

"Darling, I _am_ the professional. How do you expect me to help myself?" He teased.

Finishing up the highlights of her eye shadow, Julius sat back on his heels to look her over. Molly blinked a few times, taking a quick sip of her lukewarm tea. Apparently, something was unsatisfactory, so Julius started rubbing more powder on her eye lids, evening the color out. He sat back again and examined his work, pursing his lips.

She started to turn to see herself in the mirror, but Julius caught her by the shoulder looking hurt. "I haven't finished yet! Trying to ruin the surprise?" He whined.

Molly stuck her tongue out at him. "Touchy! I was just curious."

He picked up a light pink lip gloss, not looking her in the eye. "Save that thing for later – right now I'm trying to turn you into a super model. I don't need you distracting me."

Molly bit her tongue, her cheeks dusted pink. Making her lips still for him, Julius quickly applied the smooth gloss. He dabbed the corners of her mouth with his finger when he was finished.

Julius looked at her a good long while, making Molly a bit nervous. Finally, he gave her the smirk. "Alright, have a look, Molly. See how much of a 'doll face' you are now~"

She swiveled around and stared at her reflection. The Molly in the mirror had smoky, dark eyes that blended into the shadows of her skin and her lips were a simple, shiny pink. Her short brown hair that framed her face used to look childish, but with the new face it looked grown up. She finally seemed her age, and she liked it. "Julius! You really _are_ an artist…"

He chuckled, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Every artist needs a pretty canvas, hm? But you don't need the make-up, love."

Molly blushed and put a hand to her heart, sincerely touched by the compliment. She turned back to face him. When she looked at Julius though, she was really seeing his face for the first time. "Julius… Um… We both know I have some… er, some in-insecurities."

Julius studied her face, trying to guess where this was going. He had to look up since he was sitting on the floor, and she was in the chair. It was a strange switch – normally, he towered over her, and he liked it that way.

He felt smaller with her next words. "But what about you?" She whispered.

"What about me?" He pulled a confused, humorous look.

Molly stared at the half-empty mug in her lap, her finger making circles on the rim. "I-I mean… You wear this stuff _all the time_… Don't you get tired of it?"

Julius blinked at her, his expression deadpanned.

Seeing his stoicism, her confidence flaked from her lips. Without the words, Molly's eyes found the tissue box. She pulled the same trick he did – getting the tissue a bit wet before rubbing it over his closed eye. Julius didn't show any sign of struggle as Molly took the heavy eye make-up away. For criticizing her for 'loading it on,' Julius had much more. After a few minutes and a handful of tissues (with the help of a nearby water bottle), Molly removed the unnatural marks and accents from his face.

She saw him for the first time. Softer cheek bones than Molly remembered without the illusory foundations and inflections. Pale, small lips in a tight line. Light eye lashes over deep maroon irises that were boring into her. Her eyes moved to his ears that were now permanently pierced, small silver studs shimmering in the lamp light. Julius had gotten them the same time he had cut his hair… Molly's hands found the hair tie and loosened it, pulling it out. She put it on the table.

"There…" Molly said, finished and slightly at awe with this new person. Her eyes wouldn't stop staring, looking at every new angle of his face. But Julius' eyes stayed rooted to Molly's, waiting for her reaction.

"Just as you are… See? You don't need it either…" She leaned towards him, eyes closing.

The kiss was stony and disbelieving at first, but Julius stood on his knees, meeting her with sudden force. He rivaled her warmth, pressing a hand into the nape of her neck.

Molly was so proud of herself until she felt warm tears sliding down her cheeks. She opened her eyes, finding that the wet tracks were mirrored on Julius' face. The kiss abruptly ended, Julius' head moving over her shoulder. He sniffled like a child, hugging her tight.

They were crying. Julius was _crying._ Molly shuddered, holding him like he would disappear.

Neither of them wanted to part for the night, so it wasn't brought up. For the first time since that snowy night in winter, Julius slept on the couch; Molly snuggled up close against him. But this time the television wasn't on, and the house was quiet. But it was a peaceful quiet.

Because they had just broken through a wall.

And neither of them would be the same.


	9. Chapter 9

I've never played with a character who was so quiet and yet... in such a rush to fall in love like Molly. I'm really glad you guys like her because she was really fun to experiment with while writing. I hope you'll enjoy her continous development until the end! :)

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**Chapter Nine  
Monday, Summer 9****th**** – Tuesday, Summer 10****th**

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Molly yawned, standing up and stretching her back. Her tomato plants and corn stalks were almost at her knee, but for some reason her watermelons had refused to sprout this year. All afternoon she dug up her plot and planted fresh seeds over top the old.

Already, Molly's arms and legs were tanned, keeping the summer's glow underneath the skin. The sun was burning down, and Molly's large hat wasn't doing much. The straw protected her face, but her shoulders were exposed in her bathing suit and shorts. It was one of the hottest days of the year.

Molly let go of her hoe, leaving it in the hot soil. She was done for the day.

The farmer took off her sun hat, fanning her face with it. She surveyed her farmland, feeling like she was forgetting something. Her cows were grazing with her small flock of sheep by the cliff wall. The chickens were by the coop, scratching the tightly packed dirt and occasionally squawking at each other. The cherry trees were picked, her crops were watered, and the watermelons were planted. _What was she forgetting?_

She left it to nerves and went into the humid shade of her house. Pouring herself a glass of lemonade and sitting on the counter, Molly spotted her fishing pole leaning against the wall by the fridge. _That was it!_

Before she could act, her cell phone started to sing a happy, electronic tune. Molly leaned across the counter and picked it up from next to her oven. Flipping it open, she gave a cheery greeting. "Hey, Mama! What's up?"

"_Hello, dear,"_ her mother's voice chimed back. _"Just calling to see what you're up to. I planted the new azaleas, but they don't seem to want to bloom. Is it hot where you are?"_

"Very," Molly nodded, swinging her legs. "Well, aren't your azaleas spring ones? It's a little late for them to bloom now."

There was a short pause. She could hear muffled voices; the one that was further away was her father's. Her mother returned in a huff. _"Of course, I hadn't realized. This is why you're the farmer, and I'm not."_

Molly shook her head. "Just wait until next year. I'm sure they'll be beautiful."

"_So what are you up to, Molly?"_

The young woman looked around her kitchen thoughtfully. "I don't know. Just sitting in my kitchen with some lemonade."

"_I don't mean… Well, what about that Julius person? How are things with him?"_ Her mother tried her best not to sound too curious, but it was obvious she was bursting over the line.

"Well…" Hm. What to say? "He's a… er…"

"_Yes?"_

"A good friend," Molly finished. Before her mother could express her disappointment, she quickly tacked on: "And… kind of… my boyfriend?"

"_You're dating?!"_

"Don't sound so shocked!" Molly tried to laugh but found she was genuinely insulted.

Her mother was twittering away on the other end, all smiles. _"That's so lovely, dear! Oh, how sweet – Harold! HAROLD! MOLLY HAS A BOYFRIEND!"_

"Mama, you're yelling in my ear!" Molly complained with a giggle, holding the cell phone away from her head.

Her parents weren't listening. She could clearly hear her gentle-natured father in the background. _"But isn't she a little young?"_

"_Oh, Harold, she's twenty-four years old. It's about time someone noticed her!"_

"_I still think she's too young. Who is this guy? It is a guy… right?"_

"_Harold, his name is Julius – I'm sure they're adorable!"_ Suddenly, her mother was talking to her again. _"When can we meet him, dear?"_

"Oh!" She started, quickly biting a nail. "Um… I… I don't know."

"_What are you saying, Daisy? Let the kids alone. Do you want to scare him away? …Perhaps you should invite him over after all."_

"_Harold!"_

"Mama!" Molly called into the phone, trying to get her attention. "When I come for my visit, I'll ask if he wants to come along. Okay?"

"_But… that's in fall!"_ Her mother whined.

"_Daisy…"_ her father warned, his voice already fading.

"_Oh, fine,"_ Molly's mother surrendered. _"My, I can't wait to see him! Is he handsome?"_

"No, I think he looks like a toad," Molly said, surprised she could keep her tone even. "Of course I think he's handsome, Mama! Don't be so silly."

"_Sorry!"_ Her mother admitted. _"Phew, this has been exciting! Very emotionally taxing. I'll have to call up Gretchen and Janie… Are we the first to know?"_

"Yes, I haven't told… anyone, actually."

"_Oh."_

The silence afterwards was incredibly awkward, full of questions on both sides. Finally, Molly hummed and finished her lemonade. She spotted her fishing pole out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, I have to go! Have to get out before the sun sets."

"_Alright. Be careful out there, dear,"_ her mother cautioned.

"I promise," Molly said.

"_I love you!"_

"Love you and Dad, too."

"_Buh-bye, dear!"_

"Bye, Mama," Molly closed the phone and set it back on the counter.

Snatching up the pole before she forgot again, Molly left her emptied glass and marched back into the sun. The pond next to her house was usually good for catching crawfish and the like in the summer, and Molly hadn't gotten around to it yet this year.

She took the dirt path around the lake until her feet reached the wooden dock. It groaned under her feet, and the cattails had grown tall enough to layer over the boards. Reeds and tall grasses poked through the gaps.

Molly kicked off her sneakers and stuffed her socks into them for safe-keeping. Dangling her legs off the dock, her toes skimmed the cool water. She had left her hat inside, but she wasn't worried about sunburn now that the sky was shooting pinks across the horizon.

The view was incredible from the top of the hill with her feet hanging in the pond and a fishing pole in her hands. The air was stagnant so nothing moved but for the crickets chirping their song in the underbrush. A muskrat burrowed into the soggy underground of the lake's edge across from Molly. She could see the entire expanse of her farm, steadily reaching its way down to the crossroads and then the steep rock cliff that crashed into the ocean.

It was rather strange that she didn't talk about 'it.' 'It' being whatever had happened with Julius. It felt like time was flying by, and Molly was spinning out of control. But it was a fun fall. Still, she had better come to terms with this growing sensation. Because somehow, Molly knew that something big was going to happen. Soon.

The fish weren't biting, but Molly didn't mind. She had a smoothly running farm, a loving boyfriend, and a beautiful view. What more could she ask for?

_Speaking of… where was he?_

Molly wasn't wearing a watch, but she checked her wrist anyways. _Force of habit._ Because it was summer, the evening hours were tricky so she never quite knew how late it was until it was too dark to see. Still, eight 'o clock was rather far away with a quick glance at the bright blues still in the sky.

_What exactly did Julius do all day at the Accessory Store? Was he constantly making jewelry? Who was buying it?_ It puzzled Molly, and she had wanted to ask, but she didn't want to pinch any nerves. They might not have the best business, but that didn't mean they should just quit._ Perhaps he was helping Mira refine ores and gems? That didn't seem very much up his alley, but…_

The dock creaked, ruining the sneak attack. Molly turned in surprise, but a pair of thin hands closed over her eyes. "Guess who~?"

"Hm…" Molly thought hard, knowing his voice anywhere. "Is it that muscle-y explorer guy Calvin?"

He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Guess again~"

"Oh, dear, maybe it's that obnoxiously cute carpenter. Luke, right?"

He let out a huff.

Molly gave up the game with gasp. "Of course! It's that handsome fellow who plays with shiny rocks."

"If you say 'Owen,' I'll kill you, doll face."

She laughed, leaning backwards into him to give him a blind hug around the neck. Julius slid his hands down to either side of her face, giving her a kiss on each cheek in a very French greeting. He smiled at her, but it looked silly upside down, so Molly got up and scooted over for him to sit beside her. "Are you out early? Or is it past eight already?"

"Early, love," Julius knelt on the wood warily, not wanting to get his outfit dirty. His black pants already had splinters in them from sitting on the moss eaten planks. "Mira's let me out to play."

"That was nice of her," Molly commented. She reeled in her fishing pole, stretching her arm out. "It's a lovely day – isn't that sunset gorgeous?"

"Very," he agreed shortly. "But rather sticky. It's the worst feeling."

Molly giggled, pulling at his red jacket. He swatted her hand away. "Well, maybe it's because you've got… three layers? Yes?"

"I hate summer," Julius decided, crossing his arms. "It's ruthless on the fashionable."

Molly rolled her eyes, still completely in love with the season despite his complaints. She was determined to make him (since he would probably never _like_ summer) to hate summer less. Molly put her fishing pole down next to her and swiveled to face Julius. She grabbed onto his arms, pulling. "Here, stand up! I want to show you something."

Julius gladly left the icky dock and stood before her expectantly. What he wasn't prepared for was Molly to start rapidly unbuttoning his shirt.

"Isn't this particular spot a little open for _that?_" He teased though his face was the color of the pink clouds.

Molly soon matched him in color, struggling with the large white ruffles that hid the buttons. "G-get your mind out of the gutter…! Besides, you wish you were so lucky, y-you pervert."

Julius laughed, happy with her growing audacity. If their conversations steered towards serious subjects, she would still stutter every now and again, but Molly had really started to hold her own against him. And if his banter made her stumble with her words, he knew he had said enough to stop.

"Here, help get this off," Molly tugged at his jacket and white shirt. She pulled one of his arms out, but he just watched her skeptically. With an irritated sigh, she moved around him and took the shirts – and to his horror – tossed them onto the dock. His eyes moved back to himself, seeing the black tank top, black pants, white ankle boots, and belt skirt.

Julius raised his eyebrows, spreading his arms out. "Happy?"

Molly found the clasp and ripped the skirt from him, too. She threw it with the others.

"Now I look like a bug," he complained, crossing his arms.

She laughed at that and quickly knelt, trying to take off his boots.

"Careful, there won't be much left after that," Julius warned as she tossed the first boot aside.

Ignoring him, Molly took the other boot and placed it with its twin. She bounced to her feet clapping. "There! Now you're dressed for summer!"

Julius looked himself over. "Black pants and a black shirt. How creative."

Molly bit her tongue at his sarcasm. Julius stared in curiosity as she laced her fingers behind her back, batting her eyes and smiling up at him. "But you still look _very_ handsome."

Before he could ask what she was up to, he was already off balance enough for her to easily give him a sharp shove. Julius toppled backwards, flailing his arms before landing flat into the pond water.

She was giggling like mad when he resurfaced, looking like a drenched rat. He held his nose, shaking the water from his ears. "This… is disgusting. I really ought to harm you, Molly."

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad! And you said you were hot, right?" She knelt down on the dock.

Julius wiped his lips but found that only tasted worse. He spit. "Not anymore!"

"Well, there you go," Molly said.

Her smile was infuriating. "You know these clothes are all but ruined now, correct?"

"Don't be such a baby," she quoted him with a grin to rival the Cheshire cat's. It reminded him of Selena, and he didn't like the comparison. His Molly wasn't supposed to be mischievous. She was easier when she was predictable, and he didn't wind up smelling like algae that way. "The lake smell will come out eventually. Besides, I saved your other clothes – you should be happy!"

He shuddered in revulsion. Julius reached up a hand, grabbing for her. "Well, you're not just going to leave me in here are you?"

"Of course not!" Molly stood.

Slipping out of her shorts, Julius finally noticed she was wearing a bathing suit. Molly was left in a blue one piece – like she had planned this treachery. Running along the dock, she let out a yell as she leapt and canon balled into the water next to him.

Molly came out screaming, throwing the dark hair from her face. "W-Wow! It's colder than it l-looks!"

"No kidding," he agreed. The water was much deeper than it looked, too. They were only a few feet from the dock, but Julius could barely touch the bottom. Molly was furiously kicking her legs to stay up. He watched her, shaking his head. "You're absolutely crazy."

"Th-thank you," her teeth chattered.

Julius' bare foot touched mud and he shuddered again. "This is very gross, yes?"

"Mmhm," her head bobbed. She squeaked suddenly, shooting up towards him. "Something touched my f-foot!"

"Let's leave," he decided, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him.

"I-I think it was a fish…" Molly said, grabbing onto his arm and climbing up to cling to his shoulder. "And I wasn't getting any bites!"

Julius twisted his neck and lightly bit her hand. "I agree with the fish – I'd bite you over a worm any day."

Molly stared at Julius, almost unnerving him. Something had changed in her face. There they were, soaking in smelly pond water with algae clinging to their bedraggled hair. She had seen Julius with cookie dough on his nose. When he had woken up with a bed head, disgraced that chocolate chips had stained his shirt over night on the couch. She had seen him when the fashion icon's make-up was removed, only seeing _him_ just as he was. Hell, they had met in a grimy public restroom at the bar. And now he was looking like an angry cat drenched in slimy lake water after just having said one of the corniest things ever fathomed.

"I th-think I love you…"

Julius was speechless as Molly's eyes flicked to his and then focused on his lips where she met him. Unlike their other kisses, this one was deep with Molly's full trust behind it. Complete and unforgiving. Fearless and promising. Accepting and _real_.

* * *

"You're kidding me, right?"

Julius leaned back in his chair at the bar, not paying much mind to his raspberry cocktail. The room was stifling even though they were the only two sitting down. The chef Chase was nowhere to be seen yet. Kathy was busy with her new baby, so she wasn't working. The only other person in the room other than those at the table was the bartender Hayden who was meticulously sorting the money in the cash register.

"Do you think I'm lying?" Julius asked curiously, smirking slightly.

"No, but I hoped you were," Selena wrinkled her nose, leaning on her elbows. "That's absolutely revolting!"

"Really? I didn't expect you to think so."

"You were in a pond," his friend pointed out. The native islander shuddered in horror. "I mean, sure, confessions are sweet, but… _gross!_"

Julius laughed, propping his feet up on an empty chair. "I'm glad you think so, actually. Your reaction makes mine look rather calm."

Selena rolled her eyes, twirling a lock of her rust colored hair. The bangles on her wrist jingled incessantly. "Well, I'm surprised she likes you so much. Rather, loves you."

"I'm insulted."

She chuckled. "I just mean… Molly in general."

"Not helping."

Selena sighed heavily, not bothering to explain herself. She propped her bare feet up on the same chair Julius was using for his boots. Without hesitation, Selena kicked his shoes off to make room for herself. Julius rolled his eyes good-humoredly.

As much as Julius wondered how Molly and Luna became so close, he probably wondered more about the same strange friendship he shared with Selena. Exactly how did it happen? The girl had started out as a vain, rude stranger. A stowaway and then a dancer at the bar. The two had their fair share of arguments and playful banter, but strangely enough, they randomly bonded over their love of rubies. That was their first real conversation. And they hadn't really looked back since.

Suddenly, Julius found himself talking to Selena about stupid, senseless things. She would then do the same. They would share opinions, criticize each other's clothes and decisions, and go merrily on their way. Using each other as a tool to vent. They both seemed to enjoy this.

"So did you say it back?" Selena asked the dangerous question.

Julius lined the rim of his glass with his finger, staring into the pink hues. He was becoming rather bad at skipping out from work. Then again, his Aunt Mira didn't really need his help refining ores and gems, and work for him was slow and few and far between. It was easy to just… walk out. If someone needed him, they could come back another day. It wasn't like Castanet was a bustling place with deadlines or anything.

Selena didn't need an answer, and his silence (and ability to completely ignore her) was expected. "It's because of the parent thing, isn't it? Still having trouble?"

"It's not exactly something you unlearn," Julius shrugged. "My parents never really said it. It became unnecessary. Actions speak louder than words anyways."

"Wouldn't I know," she grinned suggestively. "But you know you're going to have to get over it, right? You can't just… ignore that. Makes you look like an asshole."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

They were quiet for awhile. They heard the ring of the cash register as Hayden closed it, satisfied with the figures. People would start to come in soon. Though the bar opened at four, no one but Julius visited until at least dinner time at six. That's when Julius would clear out because Selena would be busy dancing, and the regular patrons didn't interest him very much.

"Anything interesting developing in your life, darling?" Julius finally took a sip from his cocktail. Luckily, it hadn't gone flat quite yet though it was on the brink.

Selena let out such an enormous sigh that her long bangs flew a good six inches from her face, landing ungracefully over her nose.

"I'll take that as a 'no,' then," He decided, crossing his ankles.

"You're right. My life isn't nearly as exciting as yours seems to be. I really need to get on that," Selena complained, sitting up straighter and adjusting her tousled hair. "So was that it? That was your story? Your girlfriend pushed you in a pond and decided to confess her love?"

Julius looked at the ceiling for a moment. "Yes, that seems to be the gist of it."

"Well, she sounds very romantic, but I'm blatantly going to tell you that she's not your type," Selena said, looking at her nails now.

"Now why do you say that?" Julius asked, flicking the hair from his face. This same statement had been nagging him for weeks – everyone he ran into lately had been expressing their surprise that he was dating Molly. And no one would tell him why it was so strange. It was starting to irritate him. At least with a straight-shooter like Selena, he knew he'd finally get a real answer.

Selena reached across the table, stealing a sip of his cocktail and wrinkling her nose again in distaste. "Fuck, this is nasty. How can you drink it flat?"

"That's one thing I can appreciate about Molly – she never curses like a sailor. She's a _real_ lady," Julius smirked, folding his hands under his chin.

Selena stuck her tongue out but put her feet on the floor and folded her hands in her lap. She rapidly blinked her eyes, giving him a very sarcastic sense of interest. "Is this better, my dear sir?"

"Too showy, as usual, darling."

Selena kicked him in the shin. Julius winced as she smiled victoriously. "Now what was I saying? Oh yeah – your girlfriend is way out of your league."

"Out of my league?" He scoffed. "Don't be preposterous, there's no such thing as—"

"She's too good for you," Selena interrupted. "I mean, she's just like… the epitome of adorable things. She's like a puppy."

"And what does that make me?" Julius raised an amused eyebrow.

"Her owner," she stated flatly. "I'm telling you; you're holding her back."

"What makes you say that?" The edge in his voice was obvious.

Selena looked up, noticing he was seriously disgruntled by this. Her face softened slightly, though her words did not. "Look, I don't know Molly like… at all, but from what I can plainly see – that girl does not care about appearances. She's a down-to-Earth sort. Nothing like you."

"Well, gee, thanks. I'll log that away. Such a charmer you are, darling," Julius bit his cheek, turning his legs to stand.

Selena reached out across the table and grabbed his sleeve. Not being a very touchy feely person, Julius paid her more attention, sinking back into his chair. "Fine. I know. But all I'm trying to say is… you're just going to hurt each other. You're both too different."

"I hardly see how being different is a relationship ruiner," Julius argued. "Though… I admit I'll work on the words thing. But I'll say outright I don't like it. It's completely pointless."

"Says the man of many ruffles," Selena eyed his shirt.

"Selena – time to start," Hayden called from the counter before Julius could insult her gypsy costume.

Selena pushed off the table, standing up and stretching her arms in front of her like a cat. "Mm~! Well, that's my cue, babe. Good luck with the superior girlfriend."

"Good luck finding something to talk about, darling" Julius quickly returned.

The tanned woman stuck her tongue out again and slinked over to the stage, tapping her feet in different angles to get warmed up.

Julius left the cocktail behind him as he exited the bar. The golden sun was half soaked in the ocean, dripping its colors across the water towards the pier. Julius admired it for a moment, thinking about what Selena had said. She was hideously blunt with her words, but they were often right. Though it was a jab at his ego, Julius started to wonder if it was true… Maybe they _were_ too different.

_Only time will tell_, he thought fondly. Julius straightened his collar and started the long trek back to Molly's farm.


	10. Chapter 10

Some topics are rather controversial in this chapter (depending on your personal opinions), and I just want to say that I am _**not**_ using the characters to voice my own opinions. After studying them for quite awhile, I decided that this would make sense for the context of the story. This is how I believe they feel. Again, that does not negate or amplify my opinions. _I_ am not in this chapter. Molly and Julius are. Just… getting that out there. Because I'm a worrywart. :)

* * *

**Chapter Ten  
Thursday, Summer 12****th**

* * *

_Sweet Thursday!_ Molly never imagined looking forward to a weekday so much.

After the little incident at the lake, she was sure Julius would avoid her for pushing him in – and maybe scaring him away with her confession. But he had still visited every day though he had never rejected or reciprocated her feelings out loud.

Molly wasn't the type to nag or demand he say it, but she wasn't going to lie and say she wasn't a bit worried. She came from a family where the words were thrown around like hellos and good-byes. Though it was meant whole-heartedly, the phrase 'I love you' was almost… expected somehow. So Molly couldn't shake that she felt something was missing whenever Julius didn't say it to her. But then again, it was easily her fault. She had said it much too soon. _Too soon!_ Molly had only met Julius last year… _Last year?! _

Going back in her mind, the farmer recalled the day back in late fall… and how they were immediately jumping in head first by winter. It was halfway through the summer season already, meaning autumn was back on its way. _Good gracious, if she counted that dinner at the Inn as a date, then Molly and Julius had been dating for over half a year! Where was the time going? How had she not __noticed__?_

While she was worrying about these things, Julius was on his way with a 'surprise.' But he was terrible at surprises. Or at least the kind of surprises that resulted in an outing. By the blanket she was required to bring and the most 'casual, stained clothes' she could find, Molly already knew they were going to have a picnic in the grass.

Of course she didn't say anything. _Why spoil it for him?_ Molly smiled to herself, picturing his slumped shoulders and puppy dog eyes – _you mean she had seen through it?_ Honestly, a first grader could have put it together. Julius wasn't as convoluted as he often seemed. Thinking he was smarter than everyone else had put him seriously behind, severely underestimating peoples' intelligence. Ironic how that worked.

Her trainers kicked up the dusty road beneath her. There were plenty of clouds that the wind rolled steadily by, casting shadows along the path every now and again. Molly wore some of her work clothes, but they were a neat T-shirt and shorts. Though Julius would be horrified at the possibility of grass stains (which was why the crap clothes had been a top priority), Molly was used to the green marks showing up on her clothes. She was an outdoor person where Julius decidedly was not.

Molly turned the corner and found Julius walking in the opposite direction too late. She ran into him, getting a face full of ruffles. Quickly backing up, Molly shook her head in apology. "S-sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Just wondering where you were, doll face," Julius fixed her hair. "I was sure one of those cows had finally done you in."

She rolled her eyes but checked her watch anyways. Molly was a good fifteen minutes late. "Sorry – I must have lost track of time. But here's the blanket!"

Julius took the afghan from her, inspecting it. "Good, this should work well."

"What's it for?" She asked innocently, walking down the path beside him.

He hurried forward ahead of her, his ponytail swaying with his movement – it was high to keep the hair off his neck in the summer heat. With a spin, Julius presented a basket on the grass Vanna White style. "Ta-da~! Picnic by the beach!"

Molly smiled in excitement. "Really? Wow, cool!" She went to the basket, shifting through the food while Julius spread the blanket out on the grass by the road underneath the cliff of her farm. "Did you make all this stuff yourself?"

"Of course! Though I don't mean to brag," Julius lied. Of course he wanted to boast. It was how he worked. And it was somehow endearing, but Molly knew that was mostly because she was dating him and she found herself infuriatingly modest in comparison. Molly was the kind of modest that was too modest. The kind that found it extremely difficult to take a compliment with grace. Which was arguably just as bad as constantly complimenting oneself like Julius.

She noticed that all of the treats inside didn't require eggs. They were simple things like sandwiches and juice and granola. It made her laugh. "Well, it looks delicious. Do you need help with the blanket?"

Julius tugged a corner, straightening it out. "No, it's fine. See? All done!"

Molly crawled onto her blanket, toting the basket as Julius sat down cross-legged. Because she wasn't sure whose was whose, she let Julius pass the food out. They all turned out to be the same – vegetable sandwiches with orange juice. Molly didn't tell him she didn't like mayonnaise, and she ate it out of politeness, choking down each bite with a surprisingly good poker face.

In her haste to stop tasting it, Molly had finished her food long before Julius. He eyed her inquisitively. "Hungry, doll face? Remember to chew."

Molly swallowed the last bit, rolling up the plastic wrap and taking a large swig of juice. "Ah, yeah! I skipped breakfast…"

"That's not wise," he scolded. "If you're working all morning, you should have something in your stomach. Can't have you collapsing on us – Dr. Jin would give you an earful."

She knew this of course and had been lying, but she took it in stride. Throwing herself down on the blanket, grass poking through the crocheted holes and tickling her skin, Molly watched the clouds pass overhead.

"Well, lunch wasn't the only surprise," Julius said.

Molly sat up on her elbows. She tapped her trainers together lazily. "There's another surprise?"

Julius smirked and pulled something from the basket Molly had over-looked. It sparkled blue like deep water in the sunshine. "With some difficulty, I decided your color was sapphire. So would you like it?"

"Of course!" Molly blurted. The sapphire bracelet had dozens of different sized and shaped gems that composed the circle around her wrist. Silver held it all together like a puzzle. Some of the sapphires were shinier than others, giving the jewelry some shading and depth. "Oh, Julius… It's beautiful! How…?"

"I am a metal smith, I like to think. I can make more than sandwiches," Julius quipped as he fastened it around her small wrist. Molly spun it around, examining it at every angle. Julius watched her in amusement. She was such a child – so easily entertained. "I'm glad you like it so much, doll face~"

"Like it? I love it!" She corrected him, giving him a hug. That wasn't enough, so a good kiss was in order. "Thank you so much! I don't want to ever take it off…"

Julius smiled with pride. "Who said you had to?"

Molly stared at her bracelet in awe, lying back against the blanket. The blue of the sky seemed to be captured on her wrist. It was so exciting somehow.

And look how far she had come. She was having a picnic by the ocean with her _boyfriend_. Molly – _Mugly_ – had a boyfriend. _Take that, all you naysayers…_ Their words had been wrong after all.

"If you told me that… that this was going to happen last year, I would've said you were crazy," Molly whispered, still staring at the passing sky and her bracelet.

Julius sipped his orange juice, watching her.

"I mean… I don't know _what_ I mean, actually. It's kind of surreal."

Julius reflected, trying to remember how all of this started. When a lovely, mysterious girl was trying to hide her tears over a sink. He was always a fan of a good puzzle, and the stranger who he had known by name for a couple of years had suddenly taken an interest in him (at last – he wasn't a fan of being ignored), giving him a good riddle to solve. Sometimes, he was sure Molly was the easiest thing to read. The stuttering, self-conscious innocent girl. But then she would talk like this and throw him off track, like Julius didn't really know her at all.

"They called me Mugly."

The statement was so quiet he almost didn't catch it. Finishing his sandwich, Julius' eyebrows wrinkled together. _What_ _could he say to that?_ "Who?"

Molly shrugged. "Everybody… I… My teeth," she was having a hard time explaining, but it was easier to tell this to the sky than to look him in the eye. "I rough housed a lot when I was little and it happened that my four front teeth all came out at once. My two front teeth came in first when I was just in second grade. The other two took their time…"

Julius could easily see how cruel enough children could make fun of the gaps and the over-sized adult teeth on a little girl's face. It was sour, but it wasn't something that could be fixed or avoided. Just endured. He leaned on his arm, reclining in thought.

Molly continued. "I finally had to go to the dentist to see what was wrong. Over-crowding and all that. So I got braces to fix it. My parents couldn't afford them for awhile, so I had them put on in high school. My teeth eventually came in alright, but the names didn't stop. It was something established and familiar, you know? It was almost too easy."

"_Mugly got braces? About time, squirrel girl!"_

"_Braces can't fix that face. It looks like she got hit by a truck."_

"_Does she think Adam will like her now that she's got her squirrel teeth caged?"_

"There was a boy… once," Molly admitted with some reluctance.

This peaked Julius' interest. "So what about him?"

"Oh, it was when I was fifteen," she sighed grumpily. The habit of spinning her bracelet began. "I never liked that age… I still had my braces, so it wasn't a great time to begin with, but Adam just made everything worse. He was the class clown, you know? Really easy to like. But he had a big head. I guess I liked his confidence…"

Julius nodded.

Molly's hand left the bracelet and pulled at the grass, uprooting it as she talked. "I kicked the idea around, b-but I finally… had the courage to just _ask_. If I… If I had a chance…"

_Adam gave her a disbelieving look. "Go out with you? __Look__ at you. I mean… I'm not about to become fodder dating squirrel girl. Sorry, babe. Try Jeremy – he's more… you know. In your circle."_

Molly laughed darkly at the memory. It was so harsh; she had thrown up in the girl's bathroom afterwards. "Of course not! He told me to buzz off. So… I k-kind of ignored people ever since."

"Well, that's not fair," Julius cut in. Molly turned her head to see his face. "You just let him win that way."

She knew he was right. But it was so easy to say that now that it was all behind her. After everyone started pairing off – even her few friends. After the weddings and date nights and vapid advice she couldn't sincerely offer because she didn't really know. Molly just had to look at the facts without experience from the heart. It often gave her friends excellent advice for whatever problems they had, but it didn't give Molly any credit. She was still ignored and over-looked. A late bloomer that no one saw flower.

Her favorite memories still lingered around Mrs. Clarence. She was the one who had persuaded Molly to get up the courage to ask Adam out. But she was also the one with the tissue box and the cup of tea when things turned south. Molly could still hear her advice that got her through so many years of being bullied for her teeth. _"Molly, no matter what you look like, a real friend will always look inside first. Remember that story you always liked so much? We had that dance routine one year for it…"_

"'_Beauty and the Beast,'" Molly easily provided. "The school did the musical the same year."_

"_Ah, that's right," the old woman smiled, holding her gaudy beaded necklace in her fist. She had a far off look for a moment before her blue eyes found Molly again. "You'll remember then that the point of that story was to tell you that appearances didn't matter. They'll __never__ matter as much as what's in your heart. And you have a good heart, Molly. A beautiful heart. A heart that Adam doesn't deserve to see because he hasn't learned that lesson yet. Okay? Now stiff upper lip, baby. Why don't you show me that Jitterbug routine you were practicing…?"_

What was supposed to be a light-hearted picnic was quickly becoming an open-heart afternoon. Time to put everything up front, all chips in, and see who was still bluffing. Lay down the cards and find out what was really behind the hands.

Julius settled down next to her, sprawling out and looking up at the fluffy clouds as well. He heard a stray bleat from one of Molly's sheep up the hill. "I won't repeat most of the names I've been given. The most popular one though was faggot."

Molly gasped. "That's not fair…"

"It didn't have to be _fair_," Julius chided. His voice sounded far away. "For awhile, I believed them…"

She turned her head, studying his face. There were memories etched there that she couldn't identify. Maybe she didn't want to know. Maybe some things were best left unsaid. Molly took his hand, intertwining their fingers. "Julius…"

"It was when I was travelling with my parents after school before coming back here," he casually provided. "I had a few flings, sure. But they didn't work out."

Molly still had the question on her tongue, but she already knew the answer. Still, she wanted to hear it from him. "So?"

"Am I bisexual?" He laughed, making her smile foolishly, embarrassed by her curiosity. "Let's just say that I believe in love wherever it's found. I don't believe that there's such a thing as fake love. Or just puppy love. It's either real or it's not. Either you're feeling something or you don't. That's the difference between leaving and staying."

She remembered his parents. That they left him behind. Julius made it a point to tell her he didn't miss them. He had specifically said: _"They travel all over the world. They've always done things their own way. But at least they don't interfere with me."_ Still, it must have hurt. Molly couldn't imagine losing contact with her parents. She squeezed his hand tighter.

Suddenly, Julius seemed to change the subject. "Pink has always been my favorite color."

Instead of laughing at the irregular (though completely unsurprising) fact, she waited and listened as he did for her.

"I was always so jealous that girls could be beautiful. They got to play with all of the loveliest toys, could do up their hair however they wanted, wear whatever colors and styles they chose, and everyone associated girls with beauty. Why is it so… forbidden for boys? Why is it so wrong to appreciate beauty like girls do?"

It was an excellent question. But it was one Molly didn't know the answer to. _Did anybody?_

"So it seemed I was transgendered," Julius added as nonchalantly as telling her the time of day. "But I still liked being a boy. I just didn't understand why girls and boys had to be so different.

"And so I would spend my days with the girls in school. Coloring, playing tag, pretending house. I always got to be the dad," he smirked.

Molly giggled. "I would've killed to know a guy like you back in kindergarten. I was always stuck playing the estranged grandmother or the family dog when I refused to be the father."

Julius shook his head. "Ridiculous! Such talents wasted at such a young age!"

"Oh, stop it," she nudged his shoulder.

"But you saw the same thing, didn't you? How it was alright in kindergarten," Julius pointed out. Molly nodded slowly. "Oh, everyone loved me in kindergarten. The teachers thought I was a hoot! But when we grew older and I didn't change, people started asking questions. The teachers suggested counseling. What did I need counseling for? What did _I_ do wrong? I hadn't changed. Everyone else had."

Julius let out a long sigh. "I moved around quite a bit as a child, finally stopping here on Castanet. Aunt Mira was here, so we thought we'd get along fine. But these country bumpkins were sure I was a flaming homosexual at the age of seven and wouldn't see past it."

Molly bit her lip. _What an identity crisis. How awful it must be… to even have the adults against you._ Molly's teachers pitied her and were often her closest friends as she passed through the system. She fondly remembered her long conversations with Mrs. Clarence. She was her savior. But even the teachers thought Julius was weird. _How… lonely._ "It's not right."

"Doesn't mean it didn't happen, doll face. Though things got better after I came back, it's not exactly easy to forget the past," Julius let go of her hand, rolling on his stomach. He stretched like a cat and yawned.

"So what did you do?" Molly pushed, wanting to know more about him.

Julius puffed out his lip in thought. "Hm… Well, I honestly thought about modeling. But I had too much to say. I couldn't just stand and let others do. Besides, my ideas were much better."

"Of course," Molly rolled her eyes, rolling onto her stomach as well.

"So I picked up design. I went off with my parents for awhile. I liked it very much. My enthusiasm scared some people, but… I started to like that, too. The intimidation factor. The more outlandish I dressed and acted, the more people would stare. It was like a punch of rebellion."

Molly smiled, seeing him in a new light. She picked at a highlight in his hair. "So are you still 'rebelling?'"

"Sure," he shrugged, shaking his hair away from her. "But I _like_ this look. No matter what anyone has to say."

"That's impressive," she stated matter-of-factly. "I could never do that…"

"Which is what makes us different," Julius agreed, eyeing her. "Heh. I suppose we're both a couple of losers, eh, doll face?"

Molly nodded in agreement. He learned to lash out at the world, and she had learned to avoid it. They were two completely different methods, but they were just as effective. Or so she thought at the time. "Hm… This was nice. Thank you, Julius."

He gave her a kiss as 'you're welcome.'


	11. Chapter 11

Happy Mother's Day! :D

Because I made a little note about Molly a chapter ago, I felt I needed to do the same for Julius. He was pretty difficult to rein in, but he was also - easily - my favorite character to write for. For the guy who thinks actions speak louder than words, I found it ironic his actions and words meant just as much as each other when I devised them. Everything he says and does has meaning to it, and it was really enjoyable to manipulate. I'm glad you guys like him (more importantly, my interpretation)! Next chapter marks the halfway point already. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

* * *

**Chapter Eleven  
Thursday, Summer 19****th**

* * *

The next Thursday, Molly was surprised to wake up and find Julius outside her house. With an easel.

Glancing at the clock, she noted that it was just about six. Almost sunrise. The farmer threw an old long sleeved shirt over her head and opened the front door. Her bare toes touching gravel, Molly carefully stepped her way across the dirt and jogged once she hit grass.

Panting a bit, Molly stood behind Julius in confusion. "What… What are you—?"

_SNAP._ Julius looked down at his Polaroid camera, waiting for the picture to come out. When the film released the little square, he took it and shook it like it was wet. "Thanks, doll face. That should come out nicely~"

Molly pushed the messy, unshowered bangs from her face. "Julius, what are you doing? Why did you take my picture?!"

"Sh, it's rather early for shouting, don't you think?" He asked, kicking his legs from the stool he was on.

She dropped her arms at her sides and glowered. "Julius… Really?"

Julius waved an arm at the blank canvas before him. The camera hung around his neck and there was a palette with ready paint in his hand. "I'm expanding my horizons! Quite literally, too. Clever, hm?"

"You're painting?" Interested, Molly looked at the view he chose. The sun would come up from behind the enormous Garmon Mountain, illuminating the thick canopy of trees of the surrounding forest. It was just north of Molly's ranch, her house being the last item of interest before the cliff gobbled up the landscape.

"I would have liked to have painted the morning horizon over the ocean, but alas – our Castanet prevents me," Julius explained, pointing towards the mountain. "This will do nicely though."

"Why not sunset?" Molly suggested.

"Not as fresh."

Though she thought sunsets were prettier and he would have his ocean-scape, she didn't argue. "So what's with the camera?"

"This old thing?" Julius balanced it in one hand, still holding the paint in the other. "Isn't it just so… _vintage?_ Since I'm an artist, I decided to spread out a little. See what I can do."

"So you're becoming a painter and… a photographer at the same time?"

"Two birds with one stone, love," Julius grinned. He poised the camera to his eye again. "Smile!"

Molly held up her hands as the ancient camera made another loud _SNAP_. "Cut that out, Julius! I-I'm all gross – I just woke up!"

Julius set the palette carefully on his lap, looking at the first picture he took and the one that was still developing. "Oh, but the first one was so lovely, don't you think?"

Molly stepped behind him and looked over his shoulder. The Polaroid had caught a dumbfounded look on her face. Her mouth was formed for the word 'you,' giving her an unpleasant expression. She crossed her arms. "I ought to push you from your stool."

"Harsh," Julius sniffed, waiting for the other. The outline of Molly holding up her hands, blocking her face, was just starting to seep into view. "Oh, drat! Darling, you covered your face in this one!"

"If you take another, I'll put that easel—"

"Oh, look!" Julius dropped the pictures in the grass. Molly looked out towards Garmon Mountain behind her house. The sun was creeping up over the trees, shooting all sorts of brilliant colors across the early morning sky. Clouds reflected pinks, yellows, reds, and oranges. Julius plucked a paintbrush from behind his ear and furiously dug acrylics across the canvas.

Molly watched him work in silence. She stooped and picked up the Polaroids he had dropped, looking between them. She almost rather liked the one where she was covering her face. Mainly because she was unrecognizable. The other one had to go. Molly tucked it into the pocket of her shorts, hoping he wouldn't ask about it.

Peeking back over his shoulder, Molly stifled a giggle.

"What's the matter?" He asked, already sounding offended.

"Um… You have quite a ways to go to 'expand your horizons,'" she pointed to his canvas. "The mountain doesn't look like that!"

"Creative license!"

"It's crooked and purple!"

Julius pursed his lips. "It'll all blend together in the end; you'll see! Now leave me be – I don't like to be bothered while I work."

"Touchy," Molly teased, but she didn't get a reaction out of him. He appeared to be serious. Looking for something to do, her hands found the camera hanging around his neck.

When she started to pull it from his head, Julius asked without looking: "Molly, dear, what are you doing?"

"I want to have a look! Please?" Molly pleaded, taking it anyways.

"Be my guest," he shrugged, mixing some blue and yellow on the palette.

She smiled like a child with a new toy, rolling it around to look at it from different angles. She swung the strap around her own neck, catching her messy ponytail. Fixing it, Molly held the camera to her eye. She squinted to peer at the world through the lens.

Molly's index finger found a button. She pressed it and – _SNAP_. She took a lop-sided picture of her farm house.

The Polaroid rumbled and jittered, slowly spitting out the square. Molly took it, watching the black slowly turn into something to see. It took its time, so Molly put the camera back to her face. She giggled with delight, training the lens along the beach. She snapped a picture of the dark waters, sparkling slightly at the sun's first touch. The camera processed the picture out the front for Molly to take.

"Having fun?" Julius' smooth voice asked behind her.

"A bit," she admitted. "How about you?"

He let out a heavy sigh, pulling back from the canvas and looking it over. Molly went to stand beside him, cocking her head to the side like he was. "A brush is so much more unruly than a pencil. It will take some getting used to."

Molly decided not to comment this time. Instead, she brought the camera up and – _SNAP_. She stole a picture of Julius. She smiled sheepishly when he turned to her. "Revenge?"

He smirked. "You're having quite a good time with that, aren't you, doll face? You ought to keep it."

"What? You don't want to be a photographer anymore?" Molly asked, posing with the camera enthusiastically.

Julius pointed the lens down at their feet with a finger – so as not to be caught in a surprise picture again. "You're much better at that sort of fad than I am; believe me. Besides, this painting thing interests me. It will require much more of my time than I anticipated… Keep it; I insist."

"Hm… okay. Thank you," she smiled. Molly wrenched it away from his command. "And I promise not to take anymore pictures of you, okay?"

"Well, that's insulting," he flipped his hair over his shoulder.

Molly giggled. "Only when you expect it then! When you're poised and ready."

"Like now?" He gave her a silly pose, putting a hand in his hair and pouting his lips.

Molly willingly took the picture with a laugh. It rumbled and gave her the new addition to her growing collection. "Yes, like that. Perfect!"

Julius smiled and patted his lap. Molly sat down; slightly worried the stool underneath them would topple over on the uneven grass. But they didn't budge. She looked down at her camera, Julius' arms wound past her to continue painting. Molly's toes clung to the stool's rungs for support, carefully balanced on his knee.

They sat like that for awhile before Molly got bored and struggled off of him. Julius didn't comment as he concentrated on his painting with an almost pained expression.

Molly wandered in the grass with her camera, taking pictures of her crops and the sky. She attempted some perspective and put the lens up close to a leaf, looking down past it towards the ground. Molly eagerly took the fresh picture from the camera and waited for it to develop.

Soon, her impatience got the best of her, and Molly decided she couldn't go another second without a shower. Looking back at Julius, Molly smiled and held the camera to her face.

_SNAP._

She was sure she'd like that one when it came out. Julius didn't notice as Molly hurried back into her house with her collection of snapshots to get ready for the day, the sun slowly climbing into the sky.

That was the last of the excitement until the return of autumn when everything would change for them.

* * *

The bell on the door of Marimba Farm chimed as Molly stepped into the shop. She had a list of seeds firmly in her hand. The wood floor creaked underneath Molly's trainers as she dodged the baskets of fruits and vegetables and made her way to the counter.

The hazy-eyed woman Ruth looked up with a melancholic expression. Recognizing the farmer, Ruth gave a small smile. "Welcome, Molly. What may I get for you?"

"Hm," Molly looked over her list, tucking some hair behind her ear only for it to fall back into her face. "I need nine bags of onion seeds, six bags of watermelon… um, six bags of honeydew, three tomato seeds… and…" she crumpled the list in her fist. "Six bags of sunflower seeds."

"Quite a list," Ruth mumbled. She went to work going about the shelves, collecting the appropriate seed pouches. "You haven't grown much yet this summer…"

"Yeah," Molly admitted sheepishly, rubbing the toe of her shoe into the floor. "The corn's a bit slow this year. But I'm hoping to squeeze in a few more cash crops before fall."

Ruth nodded without looking at her. On her tip toes, she reached for the top shelf and pulled down the flower seeds. Tossing the bags on the counter, she started to count through them. "You said you wanted six of the sunflowers? Or was that nine?"

"Um, just six, thanks," Molly said, counting the other bags with her eyes.

The woman pulled three of the pouches away and tossed them back onto the top shelf. With a sigh, she punched the buttons on the register and itched her nose. "That'll be eleven—"

The bell of the shop's door rang and a bell-like voice followed soon after it. "Oh, it's Molly! Good morning; how are you?" Ruth's daughter Anissa came smoothly to the fruit stand with a basket loaded with fresh honeydew on her hip.

Molly smiled at the long-haired, graceful girl. "Good morning, Anissa. I'm fine! Um, how are you?"

"I'm well," Anissa smiled and nodded. She balanced the basket on the corner of the table and started to move the melons to the display. "Things are going really well, actually."

"Oh?" Molly prompted.

Anissa's mother waited silently with a dissatisfied expression at the girls' chatter. Anissa paid her little attention, too excited about her news to notice. "The doctor… well, he proposed!"

"How exciting!" Molly smiled wide. "Congratulations, Anissa. Wow… it's about time, huh?"

Anissa nodded tiredly. "Yes, he did rather take his time… but I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Ruth rolled her eyes, clicking the buttons on the cash register louder to get noticed.

Molly, being the oblivious girl we know, wasn't aware of the noise. "Aw, well, when's the wedding?"

"We haven't set a date yet," Anissa admitted, catching a rolling honeydew.

"Be sure to tell me, okay? I'd love to pick out a wedding gift," Molly insisted. She had one hand in her jean pocket pulling on a stray string.

"Oh, you don't have to do that…" the other blushed. Her expression changed a bit as she grew more nervous, her eyes focused on the fruits. "Um, so… how's… well, how are you doing, Molly?"

"Hm? I'm fine."

"Er – I mean, with Julius. Is that bracelet from him?"

"Oh," Molly paused. She recalled seeing him still in her yard when she went to go run her errands. True to his nature, he had grown frustrated with painting and deemed it a lesser art form he didn't want to 'waste his precious time with.' She giggled at the memory. "Yes! He made it himself. It's sapphire…"

"Wow, it's lovely," the older woman nodded appreciatively as Molly held up her wrist for all to see. Even Ruth appeared somewhat interested in the jewels.

"So, um, we're fine, I think," Molly finished lamely.

"Good," Anissa smiled. Her necklace caught onto her shirt collar, so Molly stared at it. "Be sure to take things slow. It'll be worth it. I promise."

Brown eyes back into focus, Molly nodded. "Okay!"

"Ahem," Ruth cleared her throat. "Eleven seventy, Molly."

"Oh, yeah! Sorry about that…" she quickly dug through her rucksack. Molly pulled out her wallet and laid out the required gold. Once it was counted and in the register, Ruth pushed the seeds across the counter. Molly packed them tightly into her rucksack with her considerably lighter wallet.

"See you later, Molly," Anissa waved and left the shop with her empty basket.

"Er – bye, Anissa!" Molly waved back. Zipping her bag shut, the farmer turned to the sour faced woman behind the counter. "Thank you, Ruth. I'll be back again for some autumn seeds before you know it!"

"Don't let yourself get lazy," Ruth warned.

Surprised, Molly jumped a little. She tried a nervous smile. "Um, yes, ma'am."

"He'll eat up all your time," the woman continued knowingly. "Take my daughter's advice. Balance your work and your boyfriend. You'll be a lot happier and successful."

Though Molly didn't think she was unhappy, she agreed anyways as she inched towards the door. "Of course. Um, thank you again. Bye!"

"Good-bye."

The bell jingled again and silenced as the door closed behind her. Molly thought Ruth's words sounded awfully cryptic. Had she really gotten lazy? Well, the season was already half over and the only thing she had planted was corn now… She hadn't bothered to get new seeds in a week.

Shaking her head and shrugging it off, Molly admired the blue sky and the puffy clouds as her feet met the path home.


	12. Chapter 12

I can't believe I have over thirty reviews! Thank you guys so much! :D

* * *

**Chapter Twelve  
Wednesday, Fall 11****th**** – Thursday, Fall 12****th**

* * *

The days passed quickly. At first, Molly thought time was sluggish. She always had to wait for hours and hours for something exciting to happen. But dating Julius, something strange or exciting happened every day. And it was suddenly halfway through autumn.

Having a relationship was still very new to her, and Molly allowed herself to be thrown in head first. Before she knew it, she was doing up her hair in funky styles, wearing bright colors, worrying about the state of her shoes in her garden, and applying a fresh coat of brown eyeliner every morning before she went out. Actually, it didn't matter if she was going to go out and see people or not anymore. Molly just became obsessed with looking her best at every waking moment.

Though the change was noticeable in Molly, the people of Harmonica Town didn't seem to mind. In fact, she was standing out more and that made people wonder. Since dating Julius, the revered farmer was becoming this beautiful, social butterfly. The villagers looked at Julius differently because of it. Who could have such an influence over quiet, little Molly? To make her a completely new person? Everyone seemed to be glad he could make their golden girl Molly so happy, but they silently worried that she was nothing like her old self.

On one particular Wednesday, Molly was at her vanity table. Her hair was parted stylishly to the side, and it reached her shoulders. It was the longest it had been in quite some time, but Molly liked the look. Even though the waves got in her face while she was working, making them rather impractical and quite the nuisance, it was all worth it for the effect they had. The style suited her heart-shaped face well, she thought. Molly gently put a brush through it, careful not to pull too hard and create split ends.

The phone started to trill on its stand.

_I wonder who that could be…_ Molly flicked her hair back, making her way to the phone. She collapsed onto the sofa, drawing her legs up underneath her. She took the receiver to her ear and asked a bright: "Hello?"

"_Doll face, good to hear you,"_ Julius smiled on the other end.

Molly's mouth curved upwards. "Somehow, I guessed it was you."

"_No! Have I become… predictable?"_ He asked with false depression in his voice.

"Very much so," she nodded. "I suppose it comes from seeing you too much."

"_I will leave you be then!"_

"No, don't say that!" She bantered. If Luna was around, she would have been rolling her eyes, but Molly had been avoiding talking to her because Luna could only insult Julius, and that wasn't any fun to hear. "What did you call for?"

"_I have a surprise!"_ Julius said. _"But I'd rather show you than tell you."_

"Show me? Okay, where do I have to be?" She asked, winding the cord around her fingers. Molly noted a chip out of her pink nail polish on her ring finger.

"_Your living room at… say six,"_ he decided.

Molly wrinkled her nose in confusion, but she didn't argue. Shrugging, Molly said: "Mmkay, see you then."

"_Lovely! Bye, doll face,"_ Julius hung up with a click.

She set the phone back in its cradle and looked around her living room. _What could it be? Dinner? A movie? Probably a movie…_

As Molly went about her errands and chores, Julius' surprise nagged at her all through the day. When evening finally rolled around, she double-checked herself in her mirror before starting on dinner.

Cooking for two hadn't been much of a step for her to take either. With all the changes, it was one of the simplest. Make extra. It wasn't exactly rocket science. And Julius seemed to enjoy her cooking well enough. So when he came over to her house, they didn't have to snack or starve. Another hurdle passed.

Molly was stirring the vegetable soup when Julius knocked. She tapped the spoon on the rim of the pot and called over her shoulder: "Come in!"

"It's getting cold, love," Julius shivered, stepping into her house. He closed the door behind him, hanging up his scarf and coat on the rack.

"Oh?"

"At least it's not hot like summer," he said, knowing she'd frown.

Molly frowned at him and rolled her eyes. "So what's the surprise?"

Julius smirked at her reaction but slumped his shoulders in a pout. "Can't it wait until after dinner? What are you cooking? It smells lovely, doll face~"

It was Molly's turn to be disappointed. She crossed her arms. "I guess… It's just some soup."

"That's just fine," Julius gave her a kiss on the cheek and opened the cabinet. He scanned the shelves a second before taking two bowls out to set the table.

Molly got the spoons and the napkins and soon they were sitting down to a hot meal.

_When did things… get this way?_ Molly stared over her soup spoon at Julius. _Her boyfriend._ And a pretty steady one at that. _How long had it been? Was it really last fall when she met him?_ Molly was continuing to find the time slipping through her fingers. It was a strange sense that something was coming or something was being wasted. She couldn't put her finger on this feeling of urgency, but her gut was telling her to look down before Julius caught her staring.

Julius' hair had grown back out down his back. Apparently, long hair was 'in' as Molly was attempting to grow hers out, too. He looked up, pushing some of the layers from his face. Molly was quietly sipping her soup. But it was an unusual quiet. She was normally rather chatty. But she was already finishing her food – something that normally took near a half an hour to do. He pinned this to the fact she was eager to see what his surprise was and confirmed the theory when she glanced at the clock.

_When did the quiet set in? When did the spontaneity die? Was there some sort of moment, something said, something done, when things became… normal?_ Molly folded her hands under her chin, pondering this. A routine is the last thing she expected when she got mixed up with a guy like Julius. But it was like one day she woke up… and Julius didn't intimidate her anymore. It was strange, but she had to admit it wasn't that bad a thing. Blushing all the time was severely uncomfortable.

Julius smirked. _Still… that smile never failed to set her on edge._ "I know your game."

"What? What game?" Molly asked, straightening in her chair. Her hand immediately flew to her ponytail to adjust it.

He stared at the ceiling. "You're giving me the cold shoulder until you get your surprise."

"That's not…" her protest died as she analyzed their conversation. They weren't really having one. She released the band and her hair curled back down around her face. She let herself mindlessly play with her sapphire bracelet. "Alright, maybe. I didn't mean to."

Julius chuckled and stood, stretching his arms up above his head. "Well, now's as good a time as any! Hurry up, hurry up! Sit over here~"

Molly left the dirty dishes on the table and made her way to the sofa under his instruction. She plopped herself down unceremoniously, bringing her knees to her chin.

He made a quick surveillance of the area before he spotted the remote. Switching the television on, Julius changed it to channel six before sitting down next to Molly.

Confused, Molly peered at the screen. An ancient rerun of _Mastery of Beauty_ was on. The guy on the screen was speaking eloquently on the importance of tartan. Molly shot a curious eyebrow at Julius. "Um… why are we watching this 1970's nightmare?"

"Be_cause_…" Julius bounced on his seat in excitement. He pulled on Molly's shoulders, making her face him. "This is me!"

"Wh…what?" She looked where his finger was pointing at the man on the screen and then back to him. "I don't—"

"That's going to be me~!" Julius announced with a flare.

Molly's face lit up, but she was still confused. "That's… but… what?!"

"Okay, look," he took one of her hands. "I may or may not have been discussing the possibility with a certain mayor and his son."

"Should I be worried?" Molly asked slyly.

Julius stuck his tongue out. "Intriguing. But no. We have agreed that the show could use an update, and they think that I'd be just the man for the job!"

"You're… you're getting a television show?!" Molly gasped. About time, too.

"Yes!" He practically shouted, bouncing on the cushion again.

"Oh, Julius, that's wonderful!" She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him in congratulations. Pulling away and holding him at arms' length, she said: "You have a television show… Oh my goodness! This is great! Just… wow!"

"It's all been worked out," Julius nodded, giving her another tight hug. "And it's all thanks to you, doll face."

"Wh-what?" Molly asked over his shoulder, her arms limp. "But… how did I—?"

"Without you, they would never have considered me."

Molly quickly wriggled away to look him in the eye. "Don't say that!"

"It's true," he stated matter-of-factly. A sudden, different smile spread across his face. It was an elated look she had never seen on him before. "People… they treat me _different_ now. It's like… like they finally _see_ me…"

She stared at him with slight worry. Julius gripped her shoulders, seeing her expression. "It's a good thing, Molly! I… I don't know how to describe it, it's just… I know I've got you to thank for it, darling."

Though she wanted to disagree, Molly knew it wasn't completely untrue. He wasn't exactly the man of many friends (he talked about Selena sometimes, and there really wasn't anyone else), but now that he was dating Molly he was suddenly Mr. Popular? She didn't like that people only paid him any attention because of his connection to her, but if that's the only way for them to see…? _How bad could it really be?_ Maybe it was a good thing after all.

Molly smiled. "So – you're updating _Mastery of Beauty?_ Or… is it something different?"

Julius fell back against the couch like he was exhausted from all the excitement. "Oh, doll face, it's going to be completely new! I've been granted to do anything I please. Anything in the fashion universe! Molly, it's a show just for me… to talk about beautiful things~!"

Molly giggled. "Dream come true?"

"Completely!"

She looked down at her hands, wondering why her stomach suddenly felt knotted. "Um, so are you keeping the title?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted. Julius sprang back up and put a finger to his chin. His maroon eyes slid over Molly, and the ever familiar smirk marked his face. "What do you think? I could call it _Molly's Channel_."

That made her laugh. "Heavens, that sounds awful! No, no, make it something to do with _you_. This is _your_ show."

The two thought quietly for a moment. Molly twirled her hair around her finger while she was thinking. When she looked up, she saw Julius doing the same thing and he was watching her. She blushed lightly, dropping her lock of dark hair. "Um, so do you have any ideas? I've got something, I think."

"You say yours first," Julius demanded. "I love your ideas."

Molly's blush grew suddenly darker. _That was the closest he had come to saying—_ "Um… er… why don't we say it at the same time?"

"Fine, whatever entertains you," he agreed.

Molly rolled her eyes, getting ready by sitting up and putting her hands on her knees. "Okay… on the count of three? 1… 2…"

"3 – _Molly's Style Check!_" Julius shouted.

"Aw, I was going to say _Julius' Fashion Corner_…" Molly grumbled, crossing her arms. "I like yours better though… but it's your show! You should use your name."

"You're no fun," he whined, but acquiesced. "Hm… _Julius' Style Check?_ I suppose it's not bad."

"Not bad? It's great!" Molly grinned.

At that moment, the television caught them by surprise. The man on the screen smiled wide, holding up a bottle to the dim camera. _"—because you need to keep up with the newest fad! Hair gel gives that wet and wild look, or it can give your locks impossible height! It's all the rage!"_

Julius and Molly blinked for a few seconds. Molly mumbled: "Yeah, it needs an update."

"Definitely," Julius switched it off.

* * *

Late that night, Molly was leaning against Julius' shoulder. They were still on the couch though the room had grown dark around them, and the television's blue glow seemed to grow brighter. The eleven 'o clock news was on, repeating the same information that had been broadcasted at seven, noon, six, and eight.

Molly's head slid and suddenly she was leaning down… down…

"Comfy?" Julius smiled, petting her hair.

Molly nodded from his lap, curling her legs closer so she was virtually a ball. She yawned. "I'm just sleepy…"

"You're always sleepy, doll face," he started a small braid. "You're like the sun – you get up with it and you fall asleep when it leaves."

"Aren't you metaphorical," she snorted.

"Big word," Julius teased.

They were quiet for awhile as Molly's eyes drooped. She was never a fan of people touching her hair – that was the reason she cut the moppy mess herself. But with Julius, it was okay. He didn't tug or pull or beg to style it (very often anyways). When he was braiding little strands like he was, it was soothing for her somehow. _Though it irked her at first, yes. Now… well, it's kind of nice._

"It's rather late," he suddenly said, breaking the hum of the television as the shield against the silence.

"Hm."

"I should get going, doll face."

"But you don't have to work tomorrow, right?" She asked. "Sleepover! Yay…!"

Julius laughed. "You know, I'm almost never at my own house anymore because of you."

"Well, who needs your house?" Molly grumbled. She yawned again. "We should just stay like this… forever and ever…"

"Was that an invitation?" He joked, combing his fingers through her hair to unravel the braids he made.

Molly rolled onto her back. Her surprised eyes met Julius' that were slowly widening as well. "I… I think it was…. Yeah. Why don't you… er… why don't you move in? W-With me?"

Julius stared down at her; his face was illuminated a strange, synthetic color by the TV. His hair was hanging down, framing his face and hanging in Molly's. He blinked at her for a few pain-staking moments before the smirk appeared. "So it _was_ an invitation, hm? …Alright, doll face. I'll humor you."

Molly reached up and grabbed some of his hair, picking through it with both hands. "I used to think this color was so… well, I don't know. But now it looks kind of normal. Maybe I should dye my hair."

"Blonde could be fun," his smile was mischievous.

She blinked at him again, the subject back on track. "Are you sure?"

He could skip topics easily. "Well, I would have less to walk. Means I could wake up later. Sounds heavenly."

Molly giggled, her confidence growing. "This could be really fun! Okay… Okay! Um… really?"

"Yes, really! Goodness, doll face, do you want me to jump up and down for you?"

The farmer sprang up, swinging her legs off of the couch and standing. "Yes! This is exciting! Oh goodness, you've got a show and you're moving in and… when are you going to film for your show?"

Julius looked away from her, biting his lip guiltily. "Well… seeing as my only day off is Thursday…"

"Oh," her mood quickly dropped. She loosely hugged her stomach. "So… you won't really be home at all?"

"I haven't gone over it with Aunt Mira yet," he quickly added, standing. "Maybe she'll let me have weekends off like normal people."

Molly chuckled uneasily. "Yeah…"

"But hey," he pulled her closer. Julius hugged her, putting his chin on her head. "You said _home_~ Mm… That's an odd thought."

"Yeah…" Molly agreed, staring at his shirt. "Home."

"You know, doll face, this _is_ rather exciting. I kind of want to start packing."

"Now?" She asked.

"Right now," he said.

She pulled away, grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the door. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"It's almost midnight!"

"Ooo, the witching hour!" Molly's eyes brightened. "Maybe something supernatural will happen!"

Julius rolled his eyes, following her out the front door. The wind was chilly – the night was crisp. "Isn't this supernatural enough?"

Molly ran ahead of him, eager to start the spontaneous move. She was suddenly alive, running up and down the path to pull him along. Because, after all, Julius didn't run anywhere. Couldn't get mussed.

The moon sparkled high above them, almost full, on the mid-autumn night. The wind howled down the stone bridge and the water wheel moaned on its axis. The world was asleep but for the couple, both still children at heart.

* * *

Compromise. Compromise was the first word Molly told herself when they had taken the last of the necessities out of Julius' house at three in the morning and dumped them in her living room. It was the word she used when Julius insisted on using his hideous mauve curtains. It was the word that came to mind when he crushed her clothes in order to stuff his wardrobe in the same closet.

But most of all, compromise was the word for Molly when Julius started moving the furniture.

"But it's _fine_…" she insisted once again. Molly sat on her table that was now against the wall by the window rather than the middle of the floor. A box full of knick knacks was next to her. She yawned and looked up where the clock was supposed to be, but it was taken down and was resting next to the oven. "Julius, it's almost _five_…! I have to get up in an hour to feed…" Yawn. "Feed the animals… Can't we do this in the morning?"

"It _is_ morning, love," Julius grunted as he pushed Molly's bed away from the wall. His hair was tied up on top of his head and his jacket was off. "Besides, this was your idea to do this now if I remember."

"It was mutual!" She shook her head groggily. "Besides…" Yawn. "We did most of the work already. Can't it…" Yawn. "Wait?"

Julius blew the fallen layers from his face. He looked over at his dopey girlfriend and suddenly laughed. "Look what we've done! What on Earth are you making me do, doll face?"

"Me?" Molly whined, hanging her head.

"Yes, you," Julius crawled over the bed and stepped over and around different boxes and belongings to reach her. When he finally was before Molly, he put his hands on either side of her hips to pin her. "Before you, I don't remember doing something so… utterly stupid."

She smiled with her eyes closed. They were watering with her exhaustion. "Not my fault…! You're the one who started this mess."

"Which one? Moving in, dating, or introducing myself?" He prattled.

"All of the above!" Molly swung her hands up.

Julius laughed, giving her a kiss. He was surprised that she was awake enough to still kiss him back. He leaned away, pushing her long hair away from her face. "Well, I guess you've got me there… Fine then, let's go to bed."

Molly's eyes suddenly bugged. Julius had been waiting for this, surprised she hadn't thought of it before. Then again, she was rather naïve so the possibility probably never occurred to her. "We… Julius, we only h-have one bed!"

He kissed her neck but noted how she flinched. "I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do, doll face. Come on, just sleep."

"Sleep…" she nodded, more awake again. Julius released her and she hopped down off the table.

Molly, in fact, had not considered all of the factors of living with another person. Her privacy would now be zero to none. She would be eating, sleeping, dressing, working – _everything_ – with Julius right there. It was going to be weird. _Really weird. To start…_ But she couldn't deny her fluttering stomach that it was still exciting.

To avoid making her uncomfortable, Julius collapsed on top of the bed just as he was (even though he knew he was going to have nightmares about all the wrinkles his outfit would endure). He pulled the sheet up for just Molly. She crawled in, still wearing her day clothes as well. She snuggled in and was glad that she had two pillows. Julius wrapped the comforter over top them both and fell against his pillow. He didn't realize how tired he was, too.

Knowing there was another person there… That there was another weight behind her… It was surreal. And almost scary. But Molly leaned back against him, pulling the covers tight to her chin. The sheet still separated them, and Molly was grateful for it on this first night.

The sun of Thursday was just reaching its arms out over her field from behind the Garmon Mountain when they finally fell asleep. And Molly didn't wake until noon, meeting a huge mess and a barn of grumpy animals when she finally faced the late day.


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks, everybody, for the support. You guys are great! We're over halfway through now. Stay tuned! :)

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen  
Friday, Fall 20****th**** – Saturday, Fall 21****st**

* * *

It took some convincing, but the next weekend was the first weekend Julius would have off. Thursdays would still be free (but for the news station), but now the weekend was an extra bonus.

What's more, Mayor Hamilton approved the idea, and the first episode of _Julius' Style Check_ would air that Saturday evening.

And even though Molly kept staring at the mauve curtains, boxes had been unloaded, and shelves had been carted in, and modern art hung on the walls in wooden frames. Julius had moved in.

Though she had more or less promised her parents, Molly was having difficulty picking out a time to visit. She finally stole away for a day, but it was hardly adequate.

Dressed in her best city clothes, Molly hopped nervously on the balls of her feet in front of the apartment door. Her parents lived in a sort of condominium now that they were growing older. They liked it very much for its close, quiet neighbors, low price, and little to no yard upkeep. Still, Molly couldn't imagine ever living in a place like this. And she still missed their old house in the suburbs where she grew up. That old tree in the cul-de-sac… the water balloon fights with the neighbor's kids… and that narrow path where she always liked to adventure with her bike down to the creek. She would pretend to fish with sticks and string…

The door was suddenly pulled open, breaking Molly from her reverie. Her mother stood in the entryway. Graying hair piled up high onto her head and more wrinkles than Molly remembered last year. She smelled like brownies. Or perhaps it was the whole house.

Daisy threw out her arms around her grown child. "Oh, Molly! Welcome back! HAROLD! COME QUICK! MOLLY'S HERE!"

"Hi, Mama!" Molly laughed, hugging her back. She quickly pulled away when her mother started to shout for her father. For such a little woman, she had quite a pair of lungs.

"I hear you," her father's voice came from somewhere in the living room. The man who couldn't go a day without a neck tie stepped into the small hall. He snuffed out his cigarette on the hall table's ash tray. "Good to see you, darling."

"Hi, Daddy," Molly moved past her mother and gave her father a tight hug. She eyed the cigarette and shook her head. "You shouldn't smoke so much. Especially at your age, Daddy…"

"I got this far. Why quit now?" He laughed, pushing his glasses up his nose. He noticed his daughter's eyes still locked to the table.

Daisy caught on and quickly snatched the picture frame and faced it down against the table, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Um, where's Julius, dear?"

Trying to forget her ten year old face captured in the hidden frame, Molly let out a sad sigh. "I'm sorry, but things are getting crazy. He couldn't make it… and I can't stay long. I'm really sorry."

"Aw," her mother pouted, now noticing her daughter hadn't brought a suitcase.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to make the best of the short time we have, hm?" Harold smiled at his wife, giving Molly a pat on the shoulder.

She quickly smiled sweetly. "Sounds good then! You go sit in the living room with your father; I'll go get the treats!"

Molly _knew_ it smelled like brownies. She thanked her parents for being understanding and removed her shoes. Her father already disappeared through the door.

Following him in, Molly looked around the room. They had moved the furniture, throwing her off a bit. Did everyone move furniture around? Was it a thing? She was disappointed it wasn't very familiar, but Molly didn't complain. She found the sofa and dropped onto it. Her father stood by the bookshelf near the window, lighting another cigarette.

"Your mother worries about you a lot, kiddo," he said, holding the cigarette between his teeth as he held it to the flame of the lighter.

"I know… I really am sorry. I'll just have to visit again in winter or—"

"It's too cold, and you know how the trains are," her father shook his head. He smiled when it caught the orange glow. "Just come back in spring. I worry sometimes, too."

Molly smiled. "Okay, Dad."

"How's the farm? Is it getting to be too much for you?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I think it's going quite well, actually… Um… I didn't have time to check up on the animals much this morning so I could catch the first bus, but everyone was doing alright. I have two cows and four sheep now."

"I remember the cows," he nodded. "Four sheep now though?"

Molly brightened. "Yeah! They, um, make good money. And they're very sweet."

"That's good. I'm proud of you, darling."

"For what? What is it?" Daisy came bustling into the room. She set down the plate of brownies, biscuits, and cakes. She coughed. "Oh, Harold, open that window, please? You know how we don't like your smoke floating around our heads."

"Sorry, dear," Harold opened the window with a tug, taking another drag.

"So what's going on?" Daisy sat down next to her daughter. "You seem awfully chipper!"

Molly giggled. "Well… I just told Dad that I have four sheep now…"

This didn't impress her mother. "Oh, don't beat around the bush. Or should I say… _bleat_ around the bush?"

"Oh, Daisy…" her father shook his head but chuckled. "No."

Molly rolled her eyes and laughed. "Um, okay… Uh…"

Both of her parents stared at her expectantly.

"I… Er… Um, J-Julius and I rather… Um…"

And then she finally told them. _Everything._

Her mother Daisy was immediately supportive, cooing over all of the events Molly decided to share. Mind, the details were spared, but the story was finally told in full. That they met, began dating almost immediately, spent a few festivals together, got to talking, and finally decided to move in together. Molly's father wasn't as ecstatic as her mother, but he took it all in stride.

"I'm happy for you, Molly," he finally said with a smile. "He sounds like a good man."

"Oh, I wish we could meet him!" Daisy lamented.

Molly was the only one who had eaten the desserts, but they were slowly disappearing. She wished she could bake as well as her mother. "Yeah, I'll have to bring him around the minute he gets some free time. But the television show and his job kind of take up every waking moment, you know?"

"Oh, of course," her mother nodded.

"But I'd like you guys to meet him, too," Molly looked at her lap. "See what you think…"

"I'd like that, too," Harold said.

"Ooo, is this from him?!" Daisy excitedly grabbed her daughter's wrist, spinning the sapphire bracelet around.

Having almost completely forgotten about it (the weight of the bracelet ignored by now), Molly smiled bright and held her hand out to her mother for a closer look. "Yeah, he made it himself! He's a metal smith."

"A metal smith?" Her father asked.

Molly nodded. "He makes and designs accessories. Jewelry like bracelets, rings, necklaces… All from scratch, too!"

"Very impressive," Harold said.

"Oh, it's so pretty!" Daisy was still gawking. "You'll have to get him to make me something."

"Daisy…"

"Just a little something! Slip some hints," she winked at Molly.

She laughed. "Okay, Mama, I'll see what I can do."

Putting her jacket on hours later, Molly was sad to leave her parents. Her mother was getting along well in her bridge club, and the neighbors were a kind old couple like them who would come over for dinner sometimes. They had a pair of sons that were in the military they always talked about. And the pension issues with Molly's father had finally been sorted out. They now had an extra hundred dollars every month – which was a well to do surprise. So everyone was now caught up and on equal terms, knowing the other was doing well. And it was time for Molly to get back home before it was too dark.

Molly hugged her father by the door. "Bye, Dad. Remember to keep an eye on Mama – she uses too many puns."

Harold chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Will do, darling. Have fun but not too much fun."

"Oh, come here!" Daisy wrapped Molly in a hug. "We'll miss you. Take care this winter. Remember – to see a glacier, you have to have good _ice_ sight!"

"Mama, I hate that one!" Molly laughed. She gasped when she remembered, pulling away. "Oh, don't forget to say hello to Mrs. Clarence for me!"

"Are you still dancing?" She asked.

Molly nodded. "As often as I can. It's still a dream of mine, I guess…"

"Well, you stick with it, Molly. You're good," her father complimented with another puff of his cigarette.

"Thanks, Dad."

Daisy held her daughter's shoulders, looking her over. "Yes, you keep at it, dear. And take things slow with Julius, alright? We can't wait to see him – be sure to tell him that, okay?"

Confused at hearing that slow thing again, Molly cocked her head to the side in puzzlement. "I… We are taking things slow. Why do you say that?"

Taken off guard, Daisy said: "Er—well… It's just that you're living together _already_ and…"

"Already? I've known him for a year now, Mama," Molly defended.

Her mother smiled knowingly. "I know it feels like a long time. But just keep your head on your shoulders and your heart with you. Don't let anyone change you. Only you can do that."

Molly knew she was changing, but… wasn't it for the better? Why was everyone… warning her? She felt like a little kid. Too stupid to know what was best for her, and too free to acknowledge the serious decisions she made. The frown that gathered on her lips was swiftly moved upwards again as Molly reached for the door.

"I love you, dear!"

"Love you, too!"

They exchanged good-byes all over again before Molly finally escaped down the staircase and out the door.

The bus ride home was long, and Molly dozed. When it was finally her stop, she hopped off the massive, smelly vehicle and started the long walk back to Castanet.

By the time Molly had finally met up with the familiar dirt road, the stars were starting to come out. Horn Ranch was a welcome sight after her long trek. When she was on her farm again, she met a bunch of cranky animals and clouds that were crawling in from the coast.

Friday ended and so did the nice weather.

* * *

The farmer had her hair pinned back as she knelt in her chicken coop. The rain outside was pouring down in torrents and her brown half coat was soaked through to the yellow tank top underneath.

"Sh, sh," she cooed, holding the chick close to her as it peeped wildly. "You came late…! I wasn't expecting any chicks until spring…"

It continued to panic, so Molly finally let it go into a small box. She found some stray hay and put it in the box lined with saw dust. "Sorry, little guy, but I have to keep you away from all the big hens. They'd tear you apart."

The chick didn't understand of course, but she went about feeding the rest of her flock anyways, all the while wondering which one had been nesting without her noticing. Normally, that kind of thing never escaped her watchful eye. But… Julius was awfully distracting. Her animals had stopped being her number one priority.

Molly sighed as she spread the feed out, her hens fluttering like mad to get to it first. She tucked some hair behind her ear and let her hand trace the lock to the tip. She pulled it taught. It reached well into her line of sight. What was it now? Six inches longer? She had stopped cutting it back in spring, so it wasn't so surprising. Still…

She felt off. Everything felt foreign. Leaving the coop and tapping her muddy boots on the front step, Molly opened the door and the feeling intensified. Her furniture was cluttered together with some pieces of Julius' and nothing – absolutely nothing – was spared. Her kitchen was a foreign country what with all of the switching and rearranging so everything could fit. Molly was busy outside, so Julius had taken it upon himself to do most of the moving. When she had come back, she hadn't recognized her own house. Sure, the wall paper was the same, and she could recognize what bureaus and tables were hers, but… it was so weird. So very weird.

And Molly thought that would have worn off by now. It had been just over a week, but she wanted the feeling to hurry up and go away. The visit to her parents was probably to blame – their furniture was different, too, so nothing had been stable for her in a good long while. And she was sick of feeling like a stranger in her own home. _Could I sit on that chair? Where do I put this random scarf? Which drawer has the spoons?_

The girl let out a huff and hung up her wet jacket, pulling her shirt down around her hips. Molly walked over to where the television was. It had switched spots with the vanity, meaning she could see herself in the mirror the second she walked in the door, and the television was now against the wall on the right.

She didn't bother with her shoes when she fell into the familiar sofa with a sigh. Her stomach rumbled, but she ignored it. They would have dinner when Julius got back. So she let her eyes close as she drifted off into a well-deserved, Saturday afternoon nap.

It lasted longer than she expected. She woke up feeling heavy and sick; her hair was plastered to her face making her itch. Molly had slept on her hand, so the bracelet was painfully printed red on her arm. Eyes moving to her wrist, she let out a groan that she wasn't wearing her watch again. But the darkness of the room told her it had been hours since she landed on the couch.

Molly reached for the end table where she kept the phone and the remote, but her hand hit nothing but air. She sighed. "Compromise…"

Sitting up, Molly looked around. She didn't see anything immediately, so she got up and turned the lights on and finally removed her boots. Still, the remote was nowhere in sight. "Where… what the heck did he do with it?"

Muttering to herself as she searched, Molly didn't hear the front door open until the sound of the rain made her turn around in surprise. "Oh!" She clutched her heart. "Julius, don't spook me like that!"

"What are you doing, doll face?" He said, closing the door and taking his coat off.

"What… what have you got over your head?" Molly asked instead of answering him.

Julius took the plastic off and shook out his hair. "Don't look at me like that! It's raining, and I couldn't find my umbrella."

Molly giggled. "So… you used a shower cap…"

"Don't laugh!" He genuinely sounded upset, so she clapped a hand over her mouth. Julius moodily adjusted his layers. "Honestly, I thought if anyone could understand _you_ would…"

"Oh, don't be so upset," she chided, coming to greet him. On her tiptoes, she gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "It's a big day, right? Saturday and all…"

"That's right!" His eyes immediately showed cheer. He clapped his hands together and turned his head to the television and pushed off his shoes. "And what time is it? I'm not late, am I?"

"No, you're… um…" Molly swiveled around, trying to remember where they put the clock. Her eyes caught it hanging next to the refrigerator. "Right on time! Did you get the groceries?"

"Well, since that was the only reason I left to damage my hair – no, of course I didn't forget the groceries," Julius picked up the bags left at his feet.

Molly didn't say anything as she took them from him and put them on the now nearby kitchen table. She had to admit it was a bit more convenient, so that change was nice. Pack by pack, she emptied them and went over her mental checklist. "And the oregano… great! You got everything!"

"I _told_ you I didn't forget," he slinked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. It wasn't such a surprise as it used to be, but it still unnerved her somewhat. "Sorry about yesterday."

"What about yesterday?" She asked, suddenly feeling something dreadful was going to happen.

"I didn't go with you to see your parents."

The weight of worry lifted, Molly shook her head, still not facing him. "Oh, don't worry about that… Um… Would you like to visit them in spring maybe? Whenever we find the time, that is."

"Sure~" Julius nodded. His chin was on her head, so it felt strange. "It should be fun…"

Molly rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Okay, now get off me! You're going to miss your show, silly!"

"Right~!" Julius winked, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. He hurried to the television, taking a basket out from underneath it and lifting the remote from it.

Molly cursed herself under her breath for forgetting about the basket. She hugged her bare shoulders and went to the bureau, opening the drawers. The television beamed on, coming to life behind her. The unmistakable voice of Gill came through the speakers as Molly riffled through the piles and piles of clothes.

Her things were few, so most of the drawer she was in belonged to Julius. Molly had seen his many outfits, but he tended to lean towards a few select items and wore them often as favorites. So all of these clothes she had never seen before seemed useless to her. But Julius vehemently refused to give them up, but she couldn't blame him for being a pack rat. It was much like the argument when Molly defended her surplus collection of cups.

"_Cups! Cups! You have cups for __everything__! I'm sure Chase and Yolanda could come through here and make every drink they can possibly think of, and you would still have cups left over," Julius complained, digging through the tall cabinet over the sink._

"_Don't forget Hayden," Molly teased, munching on her scrambled eggs. Hayden was the brawny father of Kathy. He owned the bar and was famous for his cocktails._

"_Do you really need all of these cups and glasses, love? It's a bit over-crowded," he held up a glass printed with flowers and a blue plastic one._

_Molly was immediately up from her seat. She took them in her arms, ready to defend their various purposes. "B-but this was my Nana's! And the blue ones are from the rainbow colored set my parents got for me when I moved in here."_

"_Fine… but what about this thing? It's enormous!" Julius held up a large, crystal mug. It must have weighed a few pounds._

"_Oh, that was a gift!" She easily provided. "From my Grandpapa. He said it's the best beer mug money can buy."_

_Julius lifted an eyebrow. "Do you drink beer?"_

"_Well… no, but…" Molly shook her head. She couldn't stand the taste, and so the mug had gone unused. "It's the thought that counts!"_

"_Mm-hm," he nodded, unconvinced._

"_Oh, just let me keep my quirks," she grumbled, quickly putting the cups he deemed unworthy on the counter back into the cabinet. "If you can keep your size Small corduroy's, then I can—"_

"_But those were my favorite pair of pants!" Julius argued._

"_You believe all of my glasses are useless, and I believe that pants you can't even fit into anymore are useless. So… compromise."_

"…_Compromise."_

She smiled to herself when she spotted the old beige corduroy pants. They were hideous to her, but they had sentimental value of some sort for Julius. So she would leave that alone.

Molly finally found a bulky sweater and put it over her head. When she closed the drawer and turned around, she let out a groan.

"What?" Julius asked, adjusting the thermostat.

"I just put on a sweater, Julius…" Molly whined. "And the bill gets so high this time of year…"

"Oh, I'll take care of it," Julius waved her worries off. "Remember that I help pay the bills, too. Now come sit – you're going to miss it~!"

Molly rolled her eyes and looked down, deciding her over-sized sweater was plenty long. "Fine, then no pants for me. Just know you brought this on yourself!"

After she slipped out of her jeans she hurried to the couch. She threw herself against the cushions, snuggling her bare feet close. Julius sat down and made himself comfortable against her, trying not to stare at her bare legs.

A remixed tune of the opening theme of _Mastery of Beauty_ soon came on after a commercial for Simon's Photography. It was a heavy techno beat that made Molly wrinkle her nose and Julius dance.

Even though Molly didn't say anything, Julius held a finger to his lips in anticipation and shushed her. "Okay, wait for it… Look! There! There's my debut, doll face~!"

Molly watched as Julius moved across the screen. It was rather surreal to have the same person sitting next to her. She continued to stare as the mini Julius introduced himself, the show, and then the first segment for episode one.

"_Appearance is often as important as substance."_

Molly flinched. It was expected, really… but… that sentence was _so…_ "Never mind…" she breathed. Julius didn't notice as he watched himself on the screen for the first time.

"_A wrinkly shirt won't help you make a good first impression,"_ little Julius rambled on. _"Make sure to check yourself in a mirror~!"_

Molly continued to watch the program as her boyfriend gave helpful tips on looking your best throughout the day and to really impress someone when you first meet them. She couldn't help but glance at Julius throughout the half hour show. She almost wanted to ask him, but she didn't dare interrupt for a question she already knew the answer to. _He really believed that, didn't he? That appearance mattered._

_Well, they do._ Molly reasoned. _But… still… they don't matter as much as he makes them out to. And certainly not as much as what's inside. The stuff that really counts…_

"_They'll __never__ matter as much as what's in your heart," _Mrs. Clarence's voice agreed with her.

Her tongue roved over the ends of her front teeth until the show was over. The techno music was back on in the background as Julius bid his farewell. _"That's it for today. Enjoy looking fabulous~!"_

The music came on full blast as the short credits rolled. Julius stared at her expectantly, chewing his lip for her reaction. "So?! What did you think?"

"Well… Hm," Molly chose her words carefully. His face was quickly falling, so she smiled wide. "The camera loves you, Julius. And your tips were very helpful – I'm sure the villagers will appreciate the upgrade."

"Oh, do you really think so?" He was immediately pouring out his concerns. "I didn't know if it was too much – like that wave I made, did you see it? I thought for sure it was too much, but if you don't think so, that's such a relief! And that end bit? Do you like that? 'Enjoy looking fabulous!' It was originally supposed to be: 'Enjoy _being_ fabulous,' but honestly, no one on this peninsula is fabulous in the slightest."

"Except for you," Molly laughed, poking his nose.

"Of course!" He threw a dramatic hand across his forehead. "No one could mimic what takes years of practice by watching a half hour program!"

She shook her head and chuckled, but the laughter was forced. Truthfully, Molly was feeling rather sick. She sat up suddenly, stretching her arms out. "Well, guess it's time for bed!"

"Oh, already?" Julius sighed. "It's only ten…"

"Hm… You know, I took a nap earlier, so I guess I'm not really that tired either," she admitted.

They sat quietly for a moment before Molly scoffed. Julius turned his head inquisitively. "Something troubling you?"

"Nothing major…" Molly said. "Just… where did you get that remix from?"

"The remix?" He asked, light bulb illuminating over his head. "Oh, the theme song?"

"Yeah! It was my only complaint with the show," she stated, inspecting her chipped nail polish. She was using her other nails to widen the gaps, turning the pink paint to powder.

"Really? I rather liked it," Julius said. "What's wrong with it?"

Molly him-hawed her answer. "Well… I don't know… it's so… _ew_."

Julius crossed his arms. "Now what makes it 'ew?'"

"It's techno-y and synthetic. Not real music," she blatantly squashed him.

He gave her an incredulous look. "Not _music?_"

Molly looked at him for the first time in the conversation. She noted the pink-stripe he was trying to grow back out down his back was finally visible under his arm. Or at least at the angle he was leaning. Her eyes moved to the rebuffed expression he wore. "Well… yeah."

"Then what do you consider music?"

She wanted to laugh that he was taking it so seriously, but she quickly stood. If there was one thing in the house that Molly had not lost track of it was her phonograph. Yes, her phonograph. Julius watched in obvious surprise as Molly went to her bed, pulling out the record player from underneath. A stack of disorganized vinyls soon followed.

"I never took you to be the record type," Julius' interest was quickly struck. He left the sofa and sat on the bed, looking down at Molly as she shuffled the large, square, cardboard envelopes.

"There really isn't a 'type,' I don't think," Molly said thoughtfully. "Just… someone who appreciates the classics."

"The classics?" Julius picked up a record from the top. He slid it out of the folder, reading the small script in the center. "Who is this?"

"That's one of my Dorsey albums!" She squealed and quickly took it from him, hugging it close. "Ah, 'I'm Getting Sentimental Over You.'"

"That's an odd way of saying it," Julius teased.

"It's the title of a song!" Molly swatted at him good-humoredly. "It's very sweet, but not what I'm looking for…"

Molly searched for a few quiet seconds before she let out a longing sigh.

"Find some 'real music?'" He smirked.

"Yes! Now hush and listen…" Molly expertly threw the top of the phonograph open, propping it up on a thin metal rod. She placed the record in and moved the tone arm. There was a small handle on the side shaped like an 's.' Molly cranked it round and round and the record started to spin. Molly put the needle on the edge of the record but nothing happened yet.

"Where's the big…" Julius moved his arms out to demonstrate a giant funnel.

"The horn?" Molly giggled. "I don't need one. I've got speakers built into the box, see? Ooo, here it comes!"

The static cleared and a harsh discordant cheer of brass was quickly followed by smooth winds and strings of an orchestra. Molly sighed again, swaying back and forth. "This… this is music. Glenn Miller's 'Moonlight Serenade!'"

Julius watched her curiously, still not quite believingly. "So this is what you listen to, doll face? No… boy bands? Rihanna? Lady Gaga?"

She shook her head. "I used to… Well, not those artists, but the ones that were more popular in the nineties. But… it got old. The music, I mean. It wasn't… _real_. It didn't have the same emotion, the same class as this stuff. I got this from my grandparents…" _And Mrs. Clarence…_ Molly looked up, stars in her eyes with the music playing. "So what do you listen to?"

"Things that make you want to dance," he readily replied. "Energy. I don't like this slow stuff, to be honest."

Molly laughed outright. "Dance? Now I see the problem! You don't know how to dance!"

Julius scoffed, quickly standing. "Of course I know how to dance!"

"Mmhm," she agreed. It was her turn to be unconvinced. Molly stood up, facing him. She stood like she was waiting for something. "Well? Aren't you going to show me how to dance?"

Put on the spot, Julius hesitated but quickly started a modern dance that Molly quickly held his arms down to stop.

"No, no, no…" Molly scolded, the teacher for once. She stooped and eyed the record for a second before moving the stylus further into the vinyl and giving the crank a good turn again. "Here, this is how to dance…"

The number was much livelier than the last. 'Little Brown Jug' sang its heart out as Molly took the reverse role and led Julius across her hardwood floor. His hand on her waist and one in her hand and her other hand on his shoulder. They were shaky as Molly attempted to transition from a waltz that Julius thought it was to a more appropriate Jitterbug. Soon, Julius was left behind as Molly stepped in time, spinning in circles and dancing across the floor.

Julius laughed like he was watching a comedy. "Doll face, you never told me you danced!"

For wearing a formless, city souvenir sweater, she was incredibly graceful. Her feet flew rapidly underneath her with the tempo. Molly did a final twirl and quickly stopped with a bashful look on her face. She pushed her hair back and stared at her feet, breathing hard. "Er… I kind of wanted to be a dancer for awhile…"

"You never tell me the most interesting things," Julius reprimanded. "You could give Selena a run for her money~"

"Wha-? Oh… oh! Heavens, no… I'd never… _perform_…" Molly mumbled. She noticed the change of song and knelt to take the needle off with a protesting squeak.

"Ah. Therein lies the dead dream. Too shy to perform," Julius tsked. He leant against the wall, watching as she peered through more records quietly. "Quite a shame, doll face."

Molly ignored him, knowing he was right. Instead, she shrugged it off and picked up a record he was sure to be familiar with. Putting the stylus back on, the end of a song played before there was a short pause.

Julius wrinkled his eyebrow, recognizing the sound. "Is that…? No. Don't tell me you listen to this, too."

"It's not a sin!" Molly spun around, back on her feet. She moved back to him. "I'm sure you can dance to this, right?"

"You never cease to surprise me," Julius gave her chin a pat.

Molly rolled her eyes. "So? Is the King of Pop close enough to your music?"

Julius didn't answer as the first words of the chorus came from the dusty record.

Molly belted out off key along with Michael Jackson: "'I am starting with the man in the mirror! I am asking him to change his ways!'"

Dancing more like he was used to, Molly and Julius raced around the little farm house as 'Man in the Mirror' played on. They spun and screamed and pretended they knew what they were doing as the rain fell down outside with only the light of the mute television to illuminate their make-shift dance floor. They listened to Queen and ZZ Top and REO Speedwagon and more Glenn Miller and the Dorsey brothers. Neither of them realized it was past midnight when they put another record on, dancing around in circles in their last night of bliss.


	14. Chapter 14

I'll admit that there are two very biased traits of Molly that are entirely due to me being her author. One is her love of summer. The second is her music. I wanted her to be a dancer, but I had some difficulty picturing what kind of dances she would do. Swing and tap seemed to fit rather well, so I gave her some of my favorite music artists. Kind of guilty. It's a sorry but not sorry situation, I guess? xD

This are starting to crack it seems... Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen  
Tuesday, Fall 24****th**

* * *

Julius let out a disconcerted sigh. He was leaning against the desk, staring intently at the sketches scattered haphazardly over the top. The rain hadn't let up and was still drizzling on the roof of the house – slowly driving him insane.

As he tried to think in the quiet, the front door swung open with unbearable noise. "My, it's so wet outside! I hope the rain quits soon."

"Mmhm," he replied.

Molly shook out the umbrella on the porch and marched in, taking off her muddy boots at the door. She noticed that he was uncharacteristically short-winded though. Molly stared at his back curiously. "Won't you be more comfortable sitting down?"

"Mm-mm," he shook his head in the negative and continued to stand.

Molly took her jacket off, hanging it by the door. She shivered in her damp clothes, and her teeth chattered. "I hope I don't catch a cold…"

Julius didn't reply at all this time, so she hopped over to see what he was doing. She peered down at the table, the dim desk lamp the only light in the room. She dared a glance at Julius who looked very surly. For someone who almost never looked serious, let alone angry, the expression was rather scary to her.

Still, she felt she had to meddle in the effort to make him feel better somehow. "Um… what are you working on?"

"Winter collection."

Molly bit her lip. Julius wasn't usually like this, but she wasn't going to tell him that now. She had enough experience with people in sour moods. So she turned on her heel and left him alone.

Her first instinct after a hard day was to pick up the remote. But that seemed rather boring. And perhaps she was watching television too much. Ever since she discovered _Goddess Squadron Sprite Rangers_, television had been her go-to past time. Plus with Julius' new show, she was more or less forced to watch him every Wednesday and Saturday preach tips she didn't believe in.

Molly went to the bookshelf, doing her best to avoid Julius by skirting evasively around him. She scanned the shelves, secretly glad he hadn't brought any books to jam into the already crammed shelf. Then again, that meant he didn't read. Molly wondered how someone could go without reading when her eyes caught an old, familiar title. She pulled the book out and flipped the pages open with a smile.

Returning to the sofa with her book now, Molly sat and opened the cover. She didn't get through a few sentences when the rain hitting the roof started to bother her. The room was silent but for the rain and the random scratching of Julius' pencil.

Taking a chance, she pulled out her phonograph and put a Dorsey record on. The orchestra droned out of the player. Satisfied, Molly snuggled back into the couch.

The volume was low, but it apparently wasn't low enough. Julius started tapping his pencil. His ideas were rapidly disintegrating with every screech of a horn. _How was this __not__ giving Molly a headache, too? _

His winter collection was far behind. Most of them should have been on the hanger by now, but he hadn't even finished his sketches. He hadn't been this untimely since spring, but this was much worse. Julius barely had any new ideas to work with, zero physical designs, and now it was taking a toll on his temper. And this hideously ancient music wasn't helping any.

"Molly, love…" he began, controlling his voice. Julius didn't turn around, but she looked up, hearing him immediately. "Do you really need to listen to that? While you read?"

Molly blinked. Even though he had tried to hide his irritation, it was evident in his tone. And she didn't like it. Getting snippy herself, she retorted: "Well, the icy silence was a little much, no thanks to you. You could've just asked me to turn it down, sheesh…"

"I want you to turn it _off_," Julius rephrased, turning and giving her a sickeningly sweet smile. "Darling."

Sure, some of his pet names were silly, but Molly didn't take him to be the type to use them when he was angry. Annoyed, she slammed her book shut. "Julius, what's the matter? Can I do something without you getting mad, or can I help?"

"You can help by turning that awful music off," he repeated, looking back to his work.

"It's not awful!" She was quick to raise her voice in defense.

"Says you…"

Biting her tongue, Molly glared at the back of Julius' head. She couldn't think of a time when she was angrier with him. So with a smug look, she cranked the volume up on the phonograph and went back to her book.

Julius stopped drawing, his back arching lower. "Molly, I asked you if you could please turn that off."

"And I'm telling you that I am going to leave it on, thank you," she said, turning the page with more force than necessary.

"It wasn't exactly a _request_," he slammed his pencil down.

"Well, your attitude isn't _exactly_ my problem," Molly retorted.

They both bit their tongues. Veins pumping and anger rising, Molly and Julius were at a silent stand-off. The instrumental tunes of the Dorsey brothers continued to blare in the background.

Julius was the first to crack. "Would you please turn that off?!"

"Would you stop trying to pick a fight?!"

"Molly!"

"I'm sorry, what?" She shouted, turning the volume up as far as it would go.

"Oh, please!" Julius finally turned around.

"I can't hear you over my Jimmy Dorsey!" Molly called, fruitlessly looking down at her book.

"He was dead before you – hell, _your parents_ – were born!" He threw his arms over his head, exasperated.

"How do _you_ know?!" Molly shouted back. She ripped the needle off the record with a deafening screech and threw the book on the sofa. Grabbing her robe, she stormed to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

The silence returned, but it was arguably much worse than deafening Jimmy Dorsey. This wasn't like that fight all those weeks ago when Molly wanted to just fall down and cry. No, this made her want to hit something – namely, Julius.

"That grumpy, uncompromising… narcissist!" She muttered, pulling the shirt over her head and tossing it on the floor. "Who the hell does he think he is? Thinks he can tell me what to do…" Her jeans were next, followed by her socks. "I wasn't doing anything! Picking a fight. That's all he wanted. Just wanted to vent on somebody…" She slipped into the shower, turning the water on. "What a jerk…"

The icy water warmed and started to steam. Molly stood in the water for a solid ten minutes, staring at the faucet handle.

_You have to admit… No matter who was right or wrong… No one could get that kind of reaction out of you…_ Molly reasoned with herself. She _never_ yelled. People didn't rile her up enough. If they did, she could just tell herself they weren't worth the trouble and walk away. But this was a person she cared about. This was someone who mattered. Who knew just what to say to play with her different emotions.

Molly sighed her frustration away, reaching for the shampoo bottle. She always found that showers calmed her. Even if she had just bathed, she could just turn around and walk right back in if the world was too over-whelming. Showers were soothing. The water seemed to wash all of her troubles away. It cleared her head and gave her the chance to relax and face the facts.

_But what was she looking at? What were the facts?_

Going back over what had just happened, Molly begrudgingly admitted to herself that she shouldn't have let her own temper flare just because his was. She had reacted immaturely. She shouldn't have snapped at him. She should have just turned the music off.

Molly sighed again. _Well, that was taken care of._

But why did it still feel incomplete? Like… there was more that was annoying her.

Her thoughts first touched on _Julius' Style Check_. It was cute to see him so excited about being on TV, but… it was rather insufferable as well. Molly wanted to be supportive, but she didn't like the show. It was vapid and shallow, and it vividly reminded her of the time she spent at school.

"_Sorry, babe. Try Jeremy – he's more… you know. __In your circle__."_

It was scary how close his voice sounded. Like she was back in the cafeteria right before class. When she finally saw him alone, so she had swallowed what little dignity she had and approached him, repeating her dance instructor's helpful tips to herself. And when it all went horribly, nightmarishly wrong. When she had ran before her mouth could betray her again. When she was suddenly on the floor of the bathroom, and the bell was ringing, and the tears were spilling out, and her chest heaved, and she knew she would miss history because she couldn't show up _looking like __that_.

"_Appearance is often as important as substance," _Now it was Julius' voice that rang in her head.

It was something like what Adam would say. It was so… superficial. Of course, Jeremy was another kid like Molly who was often teased. But he was teased for his weight not his teeth. He was so quiet, Molly wasn't sure if she had ever heard his voice before, but she remembered he was good at drawing cartoons. Jeremy would surely design a show when he was away from the eyes of high school. Molly would move on, too. At the time, she thought she would make it big as a dancer, but that dream died and here she was on Castanet as a very successful farmer. And Adam had equated them as lesser. What made them so different? So undesirable? It obviously wasn't their skills or their invisible personalities. It was their _appearance_.

That daunting sentence from the first episode of Julius' show. How she almost wished it was someone else who had said it. How it made her feel sick, and she knew it was wrong. But she couldn't say anything. Even now…

"You're wrong…" she whispered to no one. The hot water beat down her back. "It's not… It's not as important. It's not… It's _not_…"

Reaching up suddenly, Molly turned the water off. She took a deep breath.

_Where was this coming from? Was this really why she was upset with Julius? Was she holding in her irritation, too?_

_What if Julius had something lingering like this?_ Molly needed to say something. Get this out in the open. It would fester and only get worse. She had to talk about it.

But Molly was afraid. Afraid of what Julius might think. _It's what he truly thought – if she argued against it…? What would happen? What would he do? What would he say?_

Molly shivered with the negative reactions he could possibly have. And she decided not to say anything.

Stepping out of the shower, Molly dried herself off and pulled the robe around her, tying it tight. She faced her mirror, staring at her reflection.

Beyond the regular angles of her face, Molly could plainly see two major changes she did not like. The eyeliner was beginning to stain, so there was a line on her lower eyelashes where it always went. She decided not to wear it for a few days.

_But would that help? Who was this person?_ _This girl had long hair and used make-up daily for no real reason except to… except to what? Impress Julius? Is that what she was doing?_

Molly was disappointed in herself. For a few seconds, she didn't care that long hair was 'in' or not. She missed her short hair. She didn't care how pretty the eyeliner and mascara and eye shadow made her look – it was a pain. So parting her hair down the middle like she used to, Molly combed it out and found the scissors.

It wasn't quick work to get rid of weeks of growth, but Molly steadily snipped away at her hair until it began to resemble what she once had. Why had she done this in the first place? Was she really becoming that clingy? Every waking moment had revolved around Julius. Where did she go in all of that?

Her hair already mostly air dried, she took the hair dryer out anyways and quickly blew her hair back. Molly shook it out. It was comfortable, hugging her face around her chin and barely touching her shoulders. The hair that littered the floor and sink was a headache, but Molly eventually collected it and threw it into the rubbish bin.

Molly looked back in the mirror and smiled. She had fringe again. She had a clean, natural face again. And this time, she was determined to keep it that way.

* * *

When Molly finally emerged from the bathroom, Julius' drawings were packed away. He was sipping tea at the kitchen table, waiting for her.

She bit her cheek, tossing her clothes in the hamper and avoiding looking at him. But his eyes were penetrating as they followed her across the room to her bureau where she tried to pick out pajamas. Molly stared into the drawer blankly, not able to register what she was looking at when she could feel his stare.

Molly turned around guiltily. "So?"

"So," Julius stated, setting his tea mug down and crossing his ankles.

She warily approached the table, hand pulling on the knot of her robe. Molly stopped when she felt she was close enough – a good yard or two from the nearest chair across from him.

"I like your hair."

Her eyes flicked up in surprise. "U-um… thanks."

The rain was still rolling down outside. The tin roof pattered with the echo above them.

"Are you going to sit?" Julius asked innocently.

Molly shook her head. She stared down, spinning the bracelet.

Julius sighed. "Well, I'll be the first to say I was a monster."

"You weren't a monster," she quickly denied. "I was… really immature."

"We both were," he compromised. "And I'm sorry I yelled at you. Being stressed is no excuse to take it out on anyone – especially you."

Molly chanced a look up. Julius' arms were spread straight out in front of him, his hands grabby. She laughed, getting the hint. "I'm sorry, too."

Julius turned in his chair so Molly could sit on his lap. She positioned herself precariously, trusting that he could support her weight. He did without complaint, hugging her like a teddy bear. "Mm… this is better~"

"I'm glad I don't have to go to sleep angry," Molly admitted, leaning towards him. "I think it's all this rain. And the fact we're stuck in here."

"Are you suggesting a vacation from each other?" Julius asked, running a hand through her hair.

"No… But if it doesn't get sunny soon, we should get out of here."

Julius silently agreed with a little hum.

Molly suddenly jerked back, finally recognizing the tune. She looked at him accusingly. "You were humming that at the Starry Night festival!"

"Was I?" Julius shrugged. "Well, it's appropriate, isn't it?"

"'Catch a Falling Star,'" Molly smiled. "I have Perry Como's record with that song…"

Julius chuckled, pulling her tighter. "I'm not surprised, doll face. I am _not_ surprised."


	15. Chapter 15

I can't think of much else to say except thank you for reading and giving feedback. :)

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen  
Saturday, Fall 28****th**

* * *

It was the last day before the snow. When most farmers would determine it too wet outside, Molly felt bad that her livestock would miss the last of the sun before the cold. So her cows and sheep and chickens made their way across her lawn, pulling at the dewy grass.

Molly was bundled in a red coat with a white scarf wrapped tight around her neck. She wore her thick, leather work gloves and still shivered against the air. Her breath came out in clouds under her nose.

_So cold already…_ She stretched up on her tip toes, reaching another chilled apple. Her small orchard was mostly bare, but she was resolute. Molly would profit off of every last fruit of her farm.

The basket at her feet was half full. The farmer stooped and heaved it up against her hip with a grunt, continuing to pluck apples from above her head as she walked down the row of trees. Brown wet leaves stuck to the bottoms of her boots.

The loud clank of the cow bell alerted her, and she turned around. Her old cow was leading most of her sheep down the hill where it was muddy. They were sure to get stuck. Molly whistled and her animals looked around wildly. When they spotted her in the orchard, they started back towards her.

Eventually, they lost interest or forgot what they were doing. Either way, they were out of danger and on higher ground grazing again.

Molly shook her head. They were rather… dimwitted, she had to admit, but Molly adored her animals. They were very sweet, they gave her good wool and milk and eggs, and they could read her thoughts very well. In fact, she doubted many people could compare with their intuition.

She let out a tired sigh. Molly looked up suddenly, pulling herself tight against a tree. Peering around it, she could see that no one was about. It was just her.

In truth, Molly was avoiding Julius. She told herself she wanted to be away from people in general, but the girl had been jumping at every sound all day and quickly hiding wherever she could. There were too many things on her mind at the moment that he was sure to ask about. And Molly didn't know if she was ready to talk yet.

Especially when she wasn't quite sure what her problem was.

"We made up, we talked it out… everything's fine," she told herself, plucking another apple down. She looked at the cherry red skin, rolling it around in the palm of her gloved hand. "Then… why am I making this up? Creating problems that don't exist?"

Molly was bothered. Very bothered. Why couldn't she talk about the television show? She was blowing this way out of proportion. It was a simple disagreement. By the way they calmly apologized the same night of their first big fight, Molly should have been confident to bring up the issue with him.

But Julius scared her. More so his opinion. He wasn't one to be easily convinced or persuaded to switch sides. And Molly was already quite familiar with the fact that he usually got his way. After all, she didn't play her records when he was working anymore…

"It's the way he can just… brush things off," she chatted with herself. Molly found it easier to think this aloud – maybe force herself to say what was truthfully bugging her. "It… it drives me crazy. But it makes me jealous, too."

There were so many things that had gone unsaid. So many times that she stopped and stared and waited for an explanation, but all of those times were pushed aside and forgotten. Her first example of this (that she could remember) was when she ran away from him after their first kiss. Julius never brought that up. At first, Molly was grateful for that kind of attitude. 'Not to sweat the small stuff.'

But Julius had brushed away much more important things, too. Though it wasn't a big deal at first (like all of these things she was noticing: 'not at first'), Julius had never… reciprocated her feelings. Molly had confessed and felt a little foolish, but in her heart she felt it was right. It was how she felt. Molly loved Julius in her own quiet way. Then again, she wasn't sure how she was acting or who she wanted to be anymore and if her old, shy self still existed somewhere inside.

_Why is this such a mess? Why do I feel… confused __all of the time__? It wasn't confusing at one point… right? When did all of this doubt come in?_

It disturbed her how much it bothered her. Like she couldn't do anything without Julius' approval or something. Molly had never been the clingy type. She had even told herself that she would never 'force' anyone to say those three, all-important words. 'I love you' had never been a requirement for her.

_Until now… suddenly?_

The only time Julius ever told Molly how he felt about her was way back in the beginning. When he said he liked her. That she was beautiful. But he didn't really know her at all then. He was just seeing a face. Though it was flattering for a self-conscious girl like Molly, it wasn't as meaningful as if he had said it now. Julius would call her 'love,' and compliment her appearance, but he never said he liked _her_. She would have been happy hearing that. Leave love for later.

But then it was back to appearances. _Was that all Julius ever saw? That wasn't fair… but then again, that's all people ever saw in him. What if he doesn't know how to see anything else? That he's learned that… it doesn't matter?_ _Because no matter who he was inside, people only saw what was outside._ _That's probably why he treasures appearances so much…_

But could Molly wait for him to change? To see deeper? How can that kind of philosophy be undone? How can you change a person? How they think and act and feel?

More importantly – why would you _want_ to change a person?

_When you love someone… you're supposed to love all of them. Maybe not everything, but the parts you love outshine the quirks that might drive you nuts sometimes… And you love them as a whole. As someone you can learn and grow with. Someone you can grow old with and trust._

_Then why am I not blind anymore? Why am I seeing these things now? Now that we're living together, and it looks like we might actually have a chance at a good life…?_

As what? Would they date forever?

She got queasy thinking that far ahead. After all… that sort of thing was _eons_ away… Right?

The more she thought about it, the more marriage seemed like a safety net. Maybe that's why she was so antsy lately. Maybe that's why she was trying to change herself to please Julius. She wanted him to propose. Then they could get married and… _what? What would marriage actually solve?_

_Take things slow. Everyone's right – Anissa, Ruth, Mom and Dad… You're rushing things again. Just… brush it off. Don't concern yourself with… _She didn't even know anymore.

Molly wished she could just 'brush away' her thoughts. Like Julius. Forget about his show. Forget about his stance on appearances. But it was in everything he said. And she started to see it more and more each day. From the make-up he wore (that she had thought they had broken through – but apparently, they had just come to an understanding…?), to the clothes he dressed in, and even the gifts he liked most. Perfumes, flowers, gems. Pretty things. Rather worthless things in Molly's opinion…

_Then why couldn't she say that?!_

The poor farmer was getting a headache. The wind picked up, and her brown hair flew every which way and into her face. Setting down her basket of apples, Molly hurried to call her animals back to the barn and the coop.

The wind brought drops of freezing rain. The weather wouldn't wait, and Molly was dripping wet when everyone was in the barn and her apples were in the shipping bin.

Bitterly, she shook out her wet hair. There were lots of things she could do as Castanet's so called golden girl, but even Molly can't hold off a storm.

* * *

"So you had your first big fight. Whatever."

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Julius clicked his tongue. He crossed his arms, sinking lower into his seat.

Selena danced her exotic, island dance routine she did every night at her spot in the bar. She concentrated on the dance, not bothering to look at him, but she still kept up with the conversation. "You've become awfully grouchy. I remember when you were so obnoxiously bubbly and flamboyant. What's the matter with you? Weather got you down?"

When Julius didn't reply, Selena's smirk grew wide like the Cheshire cat's. "Or maybe you've finally realized I was right, hm?"

Owen carried some drinks over for his grandfather Ramsey and his friend Luke who were waiting at the card table. Julius watched them, his chair pushed against the wall next to the stage and his feet propped up on the table. Luke's father Dale cut the deck and started to deal the cards for a round of Blackjack.

Selena didn't like being ignored. "Hey. Tell me what's wrong. Don't just sit there."

A small smirk appeared on Julius' face. He didn't bother looking at her either when they talked. "Are you feigning interest? How sweet."

She snorted. "Fine. Pretend you don't want to talk about it."

"I think she's mad that I haven't met her parents."

Selena raised an eye brow, clapping her hands and twirling to the pre-recorded drums on the stereo. "You seriously think that's why she would have a break down?"

He shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. "She didn't have a _break down_."

"Well, let's see," Selena began to argue, as per usual. "The quiet girl grew her hair out, wore gobs of make-up for weeks, and then in the course of one night – yelled, threw something—"

"She left her book on the sofa; she didn't throw it. Don't be so dramatic."

"Says you," she rolled her eyes. She picked up right where she left off. "Fine, so she yelled, slammed a door, and the next thing you know, she's cut off all her hair. Plus, she's avoiding you. If that's not a break down, I don't know what is."

Julius wanted to argue that Selena knew nothing at all, but he didn't. He had to admit that though he thought Selena was being melodramatic about it, Molly's behavior was certainly odd. He was happy that she wanted to grow her hair out. Didn't she want to? "Why would she otherwise…?"

"Stop talking to yourself. It's tacky," Selena scolded.

Julius looked at the ground knowing she was right.

Though he seemed to be over-reacting, Selena was still interested. And she liked being able to call him a friend. It was quirky and fun. She sighed, tapping her feet and spinning to a new area of the floor. "Look, I think you need to talk to her. Because a girl doesn't just chop off all her hair when her boyfriend doesn't visit her parents. You've got some bigger issues here."

"But we were perfectly fine!" Julius suddenly argued. He bit his tongue, but it didn't work. "I feel like she suddenly has secrets or… or something – I don't know. It's dreadfully confusing. Like it came out of nowhere."

"Hm," Selena thought. This side of Julius was interesting, too. Anger didn't suit him well. "Well, then logically… it came from something sudden. What else 'came out of nowhere?'"

Selena's logic surprised him. It made sense… What could have upset Molly? Something she would be afraid to tell him about, too, since she was purposefully avoiding him. She was getting up earlier and going to bed earlier. She was reading. And napping. And making excuses not to go out. So when did it start? What set her off?

Julius sighed. "The only thing I can think of is that visit to her parents. They must've said something…"

"I hate parents," Selena added. "They never let go."

"The best kind let go and never look back," Julius said.

Selena nodded, swinging her hips and bringing her arms out in front of her. The card table suddenly burst into booing and laughing. They quickly quieted at the start of another fresh hand.

Julius lingered for awhile. Selena felt he was expecting some sort of resolution, so she let out a bell-like laugh. He looked at her. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. It'll probably be nothing. You're just a diva."

Julius finally gave a genuine smile and shook his head. "You're probably right, darling."

"Something trivial. And you're making a big deal out of nothing," she repeated, believing her words less.

"Out of nothing," Julius agreed.

Selena continued to dance the night away. Julius watched the fellow men of the village throw their savings away in Blackjack. He eventually left the bar. Selena finished her dance, bowing to a quick round of applause.


	16. Chapter 16

Short chapter (compared to the rest?). Thanks again!

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen  
Thursday, Winter 5****th****  
Thanksgiving **

* * *

Castanet was very strange. Its year was perfectly ordered with the seasons. Days of the week would fall in line with holidays time and time again. Thanksgiving would always come on the fifth day of the winter season, forever on a Thursday.

That was what Molly found odd when she first arrived. But she soon grew used to it and found their calendar much more efficient. She often wondered why the people in the city didn't use the same one. They would just have to focus their months on the seasons, rather than tradition and holidays and the like.

_Things would just… fall into place, wouldn't they?_

Molly was desperately clinging to that philosophy and the mug of hot chocolate in her hands as her mind wandered. Her feet bounced her legs incessantly underneath the kitchen table as she stared into the steaming cocoa that matched her irises in color. She could see her distorted reflection in its glassy surface. Molly needed to stop chewing her lip. She could already taste the iron of blood.

She took a sip from her mug and licked her lips. Her legs continued to bounce, making her chair creak.

_She would just… bring it up. Tell him straight out. _

Thoughts had been plaguing Molly for too long. And she was tired of procrastinating the inevitable. She couldn't go on like this forever.

Molly closed her eyes, going over what she was going to say when Julius got home. She was already forgetting her lines, and she was in the process of trying to remember them when the front door opened.

"Surprise!" Julius flicked the snowflakes from his shoulders, holding a covered plate in the other hand.

"O-oh, hello, Julius," Molly greeted him with one of the worst fake smiles ever attempted.

"I snuck out extra early this morning, but I can't beat the _farmer_," he said. Pretending not to notice or so incredibly dense not to see her act, Julius put the platter on the table and weaved around it, giving Molly a kiss on the cheek. His face was cold from being outside. "Happy Thanksgiving, doll face."

She stared at her lukewarm chocolate, tracing the rim with her thumb.

Julius hung up his coat and noisily pulled out the chair in front of her. When Molly looked up, he was staring expectantly at her, his hands interlaced underneath his chin. "What is it?"

He blinked at her, a small smile on his lips. "Ah… I've been waiting for this day for a very long time."

"Huh? Thanksgiving?" Molly cocked her head to the side innocently.

Leaning back dangerously far, Julius crossed his arms and propped his feet around the table leg, keeping his chair rooted. "Intervention."

"Wh-what?" She flinched, hitting her mug and making it slosh and spill over the side.

Julius watched the chocolate drip down the mug and reached over, catching some on his finger. He licked his finger, tasting it, and made a light hum of satisfaction. "Don't pretend, Molly. You haven't been acting yourself in weeks. Are you finally going to tell me why?"

"Could you tell me what that is?" Molly whispered. _How I'm supposed to act? Who 'me' is?_

Julius looked up, in a mixture of confusion and surprise. "What's that?"

"Nothing…"

"Well, I think it's time – you've ignored this long enough. Tell me what's on your mind, doll face," he crossed his arms again, giving her the floor.

_So he was just as perceptive as ever. Figures._ Molly was embarrassed that he had seen it all this time. But it irked to her, too, proving her point. He had brushed it off. Sure, it was her responsibility to bring it up, but… He knew she was upset? And didn't do anything?

Molly wanted to argue: _I've__ ignored it? What about you? Are you unhappy? Do you know what's going on? Can you tell me why I'm feeling this way?_ But that shy girl she promised she'd leave behind pulled at her tongue and wouldn't let her open her heart to him.

She finally sighed. "Why do people get married?"

_So __that's__ the idea that her parents put in her head… _

Julius remained placid, lifting the lid off the plate and revealing a beautifully made shortcake. It was some of Yolanda's work, so it must have cost a pretty penny. Some of the icing caught his finger, so Julius put his finger in his mouth again for a taste. "That's a dangerous question."

Molly watched him and nibbled her lip again. She had her sweater sleeves balled up in her fists that were now hidden in her lap. "Julius, I'm serious."

"I never said you were joking, did I?" He eyed her, the bright reddish brown gaze hard to match.

Molly looked away, afraid she might start to tear up. "You do that… a lot. You always make me feel… like everything I'm thinking is so stupid."

His eyebrows shot up, genuine concern laced in his features. "I certainly don't mean—"

"That's just it," Molly interrupted him. "I think it must be me… Because… Nothing has changed. B-but I get so _scared_… to talk to you… b-but w-why? I-I mean… I don't know…"

Julius leaned forward as Molly buried her burning face in her hands, loud sniffles erupting from her sweater sleeves. "Molly, I'm listening. Whatever it is you have to say; say it."

His support meant the world to her and some of the weight lifted off. She uncovered her face, still avoiding looking at him. "I-I'm sorry… I don't know what's gotten into me. I just… um… I just…"

Julius was patient. The clock next to the refrigerator ticked the seconds by, and the old house's wooden eaves moaned from the wind outside. Even though the television set was off, a light buzz was coming from it.

Molly caught her breath, finally pulling her words together. "I l-love you, Julius… Well, I really, _really_ want to. But… we're so different, you know?"

This was a different turn than he was expecting. Leaning on his elbows crossed in front of him, Julius clicked his tongue. "Differences are intriguing. They keep things alive~"

"But…" Molly protested again. "I mean… I don't value appearance like you do. I never will."

He tilted his head to the side, mulling this over. "Are you saying we're _too_ different?"

"Maybe?" She looked at the ceiling for an answer. Finding none, her eyes fell back to her cold mug. "It's just… I don't know anymore. I feel like we're in a rut or something."

"What do you propose we do?" His smirk returned to his face. Mischievous and appealing. "Run away?"

"No, I'm done running. I've ran enough for a lifetime," Molly shook her head. "And it's not like a blue feather is going to solve all of our problems either."

"Do you _want_ a blue feather?" Julius asked, eyebrow up.

"I…" Her eyes flicked up to his face finally, trying to read what was there. She slouched. "I don't know. Do you?"

Julius pursed his lips and stared at the wall. "No, not particularly."

"Why?" Molly asked too quickly.

He smirked again, leaning into the back of his chair. "So you _do_ want a blue feather…"

The brunette's face lit up pink, and she immediately looked at the ground for comfort, sinking further down into her chair. "Why don't you?"

"There are so many more things to discover," Julius said. "Isn't marriage for old people?"

"Julius, we're both twenty-four," Molly mumbled.

"Do remember that my birthday was a couple weeks ago. On the contrary, I am twenty-five, my love," he smiled, pulling the hair falling over his ears back.

Molly wanted to ask: _Am I? Your love?_ But she wasn't going to be that girl. "Then here's a better question… Are we dating?"

Julius almost laughed. "Considering we're _living_ together—"

"Are we dating?" She repeated, doe eyes peering up through her fringe.

Though he wasn't a fan of the interrogation technique, Julius bit his tongue. "Yes, I'd say we're rather steady, don't you think?"

"What do steady people do, Julius?" Molly hinted.

"Lots of things," he purred suggestively.

Growing angry and flushed at the same time, she burst. "People date to get married! They… That's the whole point, right? Right? I'm not crazy!"

Julius gave her a dubious look. "Calm down, love. No one's calling you crazy. Just… breathe, okay, doll face? Molly?"

Molly looked down and realized she was standing. Blinking like a deer caught in the headlights, her knees hesitated and then locked, refusing to let her sit. She saw the overturned mug, the cold chocolate spilling out over the table.

Finally letting her move, Molly's feet carried her to the kitchenette where she pulled out a few sheets of paper towel. Shaking her head, he returned and mopped up the soppy mess silently. She was still shaken that things hadn't gone according to plan.

_He was supposed to assure her that… someday… That she shouldn't worry… That she wasn't…_

"Do you want some cake?" Molly whispered, taking the mug and dripping paper towels back to the sink.

"Surprisingly, I'm not very hungry, thanks."

Thinking that jab was unfair, Molly started to scrub the mug. The hot water ran over her fingers for a few solid minutes before she finally rinsed it and put it on the counter top.

Julius' chin was suddenly perched on her shoulder. She hung her head.

"I just… I don't want to play games anymore," Molly sniffled. "I've been thinking that something's… been missing. I want something real… you know?"

"What I know is that you have been thinking too much, and I haven't been thinking enough," Julius admitted. "If you're unhappy, doll face, I'll change. Don't worry."

Molly spun around, quickly grabbing him around the middle in a tight hug. Julius held her as she buried her face in his shirt. "Don't change… d-don't change, Julius…"

Julius chuckled above her. "I'm afraid I'm starting to rub off on you. You're so dramatic~"

Molly genuinely laughed, lightly pushing him away. She searched his face, recognizing the bright eyes paired with the smirk she loved and hated. Molly decided to get rid of it by forcing her lips against his.

She fell away from him first, not able to reach up anymore. Julius looked disappointed. "That was it?"

Molly rolled her eyes, choosing a couple plates and forks from the cabinet and drawer. "Oh, leave me alone…"

"That was barely… twenty seconds? No, I think it was twenty-two," Julius was counting on his hands as Molly set the table.

"You were counting?!" She gave him an incredulous look over her shoulder.

Julius smirked. "Every second, doll face~"

"Just eat your cake."


	17. Chapter 17

Thanks so much for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen  
Friday, Winter 6****th**

* * *

Maybe they were on the right path. Towards reconciliation. They could still talk, after all. Maybe this was a phase. Before things would get better. Better than they were before…

Or maybe everything was wrong.

Julius stared at the dark ceiling. At night, especially this time of year, Molly's house became pitch black. If he held his hand in front of his face, Julius was sure he wouldn't see it.

Well, maybe he was exaggerating. _But honestly, would it kill her to get a night light?_ Julius hated not being able to see. What if something happened? Or he wanted to get up? He'd be stumbling all over the place in a most ungraceful feat to get to the bathroom.

He would just buy one himself. Molly shouldn't mind. It was useful.

Julius rolled over and found he was facing her. Molly was fast asleep, her knees curled up tight in front of her. Her lips were parted slightly where she would most certainly start drooling soon, and her hands were scrunched up under her chin. Most of her bangs hung in her face in a ratty mess.

He shook his head like he was chiding her. She was such a child this way – not learning to sleep with her mouth closed or properly lining up her spine so she'd have good posture. At this rate, she'd be a dry-mouthed, hunch-backed old lady.

Chuckling at that mental image, Julius closed his eyes. He let out a soft breath, finally ready for sleep.

"…won't work."

Julius blinked his eyes open. _Did he just hear something? _Confused, he waited.

Silence greeted his ears. If he listened hard enough, he could hear the subtle tick of the clock in the kitchen count the seconds. His eyelids drooped. Tired and concluding he was imagining things, Julius tried to get back to sleep.

"So stupid…"

_Okay, that was definitely Molly._

A smirk touching his amused face, Julius realized she must have been sleep talking. He decided to goad her a bit. Leaning on his elbow, he faced her. "What's that, darling? You say something?"

"Mm…" Molly sighed, eyes still peacefully closed.

"Oh, I see," he played along, hoping she would say more.

Luckily for him, she did. "I'm just… so tired."

"Then you ought to sleep, love," he said, desperately holding back his giggles. Though he had been sharing a bed with her for nearly a full season, Julius had never come across this entertaining little token. He wasn't planning on telling her about it until much later either – it could ruin the fun he might have.

"Not… what…" she mumbled.

Molly made no effort to continue the conversation, so Julius spoke up again. "You're sleepy? You want to go to sleep?"

"I'm tired…" Molly whined a bit louder.

Julius said: "Tired for sleep or tired of something?"

"Us…"

His eyes widened. Perhaps this was more dangerous ground than he thought. Dare he tread here? _Well… he was getting more answers from her than when she was awake._ "What's wrong?"

Molly sighed, a frown forming on her face. "What? No… it's… why."

…_What?_ "What was that? Is this about marriage?"

"Of course it is…" she said. It sounded like she was irritable.

"Do you want to get married?" Julius tried, his stomach feeling knotted and heavy.

Molly didn't hesitate when she said: "Not… anymore…"

Julius didn't know exactly what that meant yet. His mouth moving for him, he heard himself say: "Why's that?"

"I…"

Though he waited, Molly never finished the thought. He felt his temper rising at this point. What does she mean 'not anymore?' Just before bed, she was going on about… Well, they just discussed this. Julius was the one who didn't want to get married. Not Molly. _What changed her mind in the span of a few hours?!_

Or maybe… her mind was made up. Long before she brought it out in the open.

No, he's paranoid._ It's just nerves talking. Stop thinking like this; it's incredibly unpleasant and ugly._

Julius shuddered anyways. He opened his eyes. Molly still hadn't moved though her mouth was closed now.

Before he could ask, Molly sighed. "I just don't know why we're still… if he's… and maybe I don't either… I don't know… anymore…"

This was certainly daunting. Troubled, Julius studied Molly's sleeping face. "Do you think… this is all a mistake, Molly?"

Her eyes flew open, a startled look on her face. Molly blinked rapidly and saw Julius looking back at her. "D-Did you say something?"

Julius smoothly gave her a poker face smirk. He kissed her forehead. "Of course not, love. Go back to sleep."

Though she still felt like she was just taken by surprise, Molly attributed the feeling to the dream she was having. Perhaps she had fallen and it was a jarring wake up call. She still couldn't shake the feeling she was caught red handed. She shook her head and yawned, rolling over to stare at the desk.

Julius rolled over as well, facing the nightstand and the wall.

Only one of them slept the rest of the night.

* * *

Molly was incredibly nervous. The only person she talked to about Julius was Luna (who basically insulted him the entire time with her obsessive hatred and so didn't help) and herself. But she needed a new opinion. Someone with experience. Someone unbiased. Someone who was chatty and intuitive.

She needed someone like Kathy.

The farmer hadn't seen the blonde waitress much since the bachelorette party. For good reason, too. Molly was as busy as a bee nowadays, and Kathy wasn't much different with her toddling boy. There wasn't time for polite chit chat like there used to be.

When the door to the Blacksmith's opened, a confused little girl stood before Molly. Her outfit was like spilled water colors and she had play make-up blush on her cheeks. Her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail dead center on the top of her head. She wrinkled her nose. "You know you don't have to knock. It's a store."

"Chloe, let her in," Ramsey chided his grand-daughter.

The little girl moved past Molly to play outside. Molly felt foolish but smiled at the old blacksmith. "Um, hello… Sorry, is Kathy here?"

Ramsey nodded, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. "In the back."

"Er – thank you," Molly nodded. She mentally kicked herself when she realized she was holding the door open again. _Why did she always do that?!_

Winding her way through the kitchen, she nervously opened the first door she saw and peered around. There were a few beds here, but the hall split into more options. Listening close, Molly heard someone talking at the far end of the hall to her left. Going up to the door, she timidly knocked.

Molly smoothed her skirt in anticipation. The bedroom door opened and a smiling Kathy appeared. "Hey, it's Molly! Good to see you!"

"Hi, Kathy," Molly smiled, feeling like the awkward girl from back at her party. "Is this a bad time?"

"Aw, heck no," the woman smiled wider, opening the door all the way. It revealed a crib where a red-headed little boy was standing and holding onto the bars like they were his prison cell. He had a pacifier in his mouth. "Oh, hey, I don't think you were ever introduced to Roy! Come here, buddy – say hello to Molly."

Kathy pulled her son from the crib as Molly entered the room, looking around apprehensively. It was strange being in such a personal place when she really didn't know Kathy very well.

With Roy on her hip, Kathy came back to where Molly was standing. She held up her boy with a glow only parenthood could have. "See, this is that farmer down the hill. Remember? Moo cows?"

"Moo!" Roy mimicked. The pacifier dropped from his mouth, so Molly quickly stooped and retrieved it.

"Thanks," Kathy said, taking it from her. She wiped it off on her tight shirt and tossed it on the bed. Roy followed it with his eyes. "So what's up, Molly?"

"Um…" she faltered. After all she had rehearsed saying and this long trip up to the Garmon Mines District, Molly wasn't sure she wanted to talk anymore. Perhaps it was wrong to lay this kind of thing on Kathy. She was a busy mother after all…

Kathy sensed the tension and wrinkled her brow. She turned, looking back, and then indicated the bed to Molly. "Here, come sit down."

"Oh, that's alright…" Molly mumbled.

"No, I insist," Kathy took Molly's wrist and led her over. The two sat down on the blue duvet. Roy pushed off from his mother's unrelenting grip, reaching for his discarded pacifier. "Are you okay? You need to talk about something?"

Molly let out a sigh and gave a small smile. "I'm glad that you can read people so well… I'm just so… I'm really confused, and I need some experienced advice, but I don't know who to go to except you, but I really don't want to bother—"

"Bother none!" Kathy waved with her hand, her green eyes smiling.

"Binky!" Roy whined, pulling on his mother again.

"Quiet, you," his mother scolded, positioning him firmly in her lap. She turned back to Molly. "Hey, I'm here to help. If I can anyways. I'd have to hear your problem first."

Molly nodded and carefully started to pour out her story. "It's about relationships. Specifically about… well, Julius."

Kathy nodded patiently. "Okay. So are things not going well?"

Molly finally nodded. "There are just… I don't know anymore. You know?"

She thought for a moment before swishing her ponytail back and forth. "Uh-uh. You'll have to tell me more than that."

So Molly did. She told Kathy how fast things took off and how it appeared things were falling just as fast. Molly explained that she confessed to Julius, but she felt it was much too early because he never said it back. And how his television show really bothers her because she doesn't appreciate appearances like Julius does. He also doesn't want to get married, but now Molly doesn't want to get married either she thinks, but she… "I just don't know anymore."

Kathy let out a long sigh. Roy was curled up in her arms, sound asleep with his pacifier back in his mouth.

Before she could say anything, Molly quickly added: "So I wanted to know what you think about the whole thing… I mean, you've been through dating with Owen. Now you're married, and here's Roy. So… is this normal? Am I just being paranoid? It'll go away with time?"

Kathy looked doubtful as she tried to decide what to say. "Well… I guess… But I really don't… Hm. Now _I'm_ a bit confused."

Molly waited, biting her lip.

Finally, Kathy took a deep breath and said: "Okay, let's tackle this first: why are you dating Julius?"

"Well, I thought that—"

"Now hold up a minute there, girly," Kathy cautioned with a hand. "None of this marriage stuff. I'm talking qualities. What makes you want to date Julius? Out of any other person in the world – why Julius?"

Molly stopped. "Um… Well…"

"Well?" Kathy prompted when she felt the pause was long enough.

She gulped. "I think he's really smart. And people don't give him enough credit for it. He's really good at designing clothes, and he's pretty good at painting even though he kind of hates it now—"

Kathy interrupted again. "Qualities, Molly. Qualities. You got one – he's smart. So is that what you look for in a life partner? Brains?"

Molly nodded. "Well, yes. Intelligence is… it's important, right?"

"Well, I don't know," Kathy shrugged. "Is it important to you?"

The farmer took another minute. "Yes, I think so…"

Kathy sighed. Molly was being awfully fickle. She repositioned Roy who was slowly slipping down. "You're not going to get anywhere with that. Let's try… Um, what kind of smart is Julius? Is he… book smart? Street wise? Clever?"

"Clever. Definitely clever," Molly nodded with a fond smile.

"Okay, so clever. Is that an important quality to you?"

Molly shook her head this time. "No, I don't really think so. But I like it."

"Okay! Cool, we're getting somewhere now," Kathy decided with a smile. "Now can you think of anything else…?"

Molly's silence was too long, so Kathy cleared her throat again. "Okay, never mind. We'll get back to that. Now it seems to me… you're really bothered by a few _major_ things. First, he hasn't said outright that he loves you, correct?"

"Correct," Molly nodded, staring at her hands.

"No 'I love you, Molly?'" Kathy repeated.

"No…"

Kathy squinted, feeling she was playing a therapist. "So how does that make you feel?"

"Like…" Molly mumbled, remembering her parents. "Like something's missing. Because… I mean, I guess I use it too much because my parents say it all the time—"

"Okay, I figured out your first problem," Kathy cut her off. "You blame yourself. A lot. Did you ever think that maybe Julius doesn't say it enough? I mean, he's not the bad guy, but you can't just assume that you're the issue all the time. Whenever you feel bad, you pin it on yourself. That's not good."

"Oh."

Kathy shifted Roy in her arms, getting an idea. "Okay, here's another thing – hold him."

"Huh?" Molly asked, quickly looking back and forth between the stirring little boy and his bright eyed mother next to her on the bed.

"Just trust me. Take him!" Kathy set Roy into Molly's lap. Moving her arms to support him, Molly held him carefully and looked down at his face covered with shaggy red hair. Roy was a docile and social enough child to not cry when he was away from his mother. In the arms of a stranger, he stared up curiously with green eyes that matched his mother's.

Molly smiled down at him for a moment before looking back up at Kathy. "Wow! He's so small… and warm."

Kathy giggled, petting her boy's hair to get it out of his face. "Yeah… It's neat, huh? I mean…"

"Yeah…"

The girls were quiet for awhile, admiring Roy. Roy wasn't sure what was going on, but he enjoyed the attention. He snuggled close to Molly, leaning his head against her chest and putting a hand on her arm. Molly watched the toddler, instantly in love.

Kathy watched with interest. Finally, she said: "So what if this was Julius' kid?"

"What?" Molly was so surprised she accidentally nudged Roy who stared up in confusion at her.

"Can you imagine having a kid with Julius? Better yet – do you _want_ a kid with Julius?"

Molly looked into the young green eyes of Roy with fear in her own. _A child? With Julius? But… heavens, that was eons away! That was…_ For the first time, Molly really understood what Luna was going through. Luna didn't want children. But she still loved Gill, didn't she? Then again, Luna wasn't averse to having kids _someday_. Did Molly want kids someday? With Julius?

"You know – little purple-haired monsters? Farming fashionistas running around?" Kathy's voice was filling the silence Molly left them in again.

Molly laughed and shook her head. "Oh, I really don't know…"

Kathy took Roy back as he started to fuss. She let him hug her neck, laying his head on her shoulder. "Maybe this is an easier question: do you think you'd make good parents? For somebody like Roy?"

Molly couldn't help but think of how different they were and how clumsy and mismatched. How they could yell. But also there were sweet times and lots of care. Kathy watched Molly think, already knowing the answer. After all, Molly had just told her about their fights, and opinions, and stubbornness.

They grew quiet, so Kathy switched topics again to clear away the melancholy air of the unspoken, answered question. "Ahem. Well, the last thing I can think of is… well, it's not really surprising."

"What's not?" Molly asked, eager to switch the subject as well.

Kathy shrugged. "Well, you know how everyone's well… surprised that you two are together?"

Molly nodded.

"Well, when so many people think like that, it's not completely fabricated, you know? You guys are really different. After what you said about appearances, I know now that you're _really_ different. I don't want to tell you straight up that it's not going to work out. That's something you have to find out. Heck, it would be awesome if you guys could prove everyone wrong and have lots and lots of babies and live happily ever after—"

Molly's laughter caused Kathy's words to drift off.

She continued again, putting a hand on Molly's arm. "So you'll just have to find out. It'll take time. Maybe you'll realize something. Maybe he'll realize something. Maybe you both already know. Or maybe it's like you said, and this will all blow over. But what I will tell you is that yes, I did fight with Owen. I still fight with Owen. But…" Kathy sighed, making Molly's breath catch in her throat. "…we fight about stupid stuff. You seem to bottle things up. Like… important things. So you really need to let it all out. Maybe not at once? I don't know. However you want to do it. But everything you told me today? You need to tell it to Julius, too."

That was exactly what Molly didn't want to hear. But she knew it was the answer, possibly before she came to visit Kathy. She wrung her hands and suddenly reached into her rucksack. "Oh, I um… wanted to give you this. I just got an aging pot, and I thought… you might like it?"

Kathy took the bottle of wine with her spare hand, looking it over with her eyes shining. "Ooo, thanks! We'll be sure to save this for a special occasion! Maybe Roy's birthday – for the adults, of course."

Molly chuckled, but said: "Oh, I don't know… I mean, it might not be any good—"

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure it's great," Kathy smiled.

Molly stood and Kathy followed her. The movement woke up Roy who sleepily eyed Molly. "Thank you very much, Kathy. I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time…"

"Heck, you worry too much!" Kathy laughed. "So you needed to talk – no biggie! Come over whenever you like, alright? Don't be a stranger."

"I won't," Molly promised.

They walked to the front of the store. Kathy held the door open for her, making Roy wave. "Say bye, Roy! Wave!"

Roy's hand flopped only because his mother was controlling it. He looked quite put out that he had to be so close to the cold. Molly waved back. "Bye, and thanks again."

"Oh!" Kathy rolled her eyes. "I almost forgot!"

Molly had to step closer in order to hear.

Kathy whispered, not quite looking her in the eye: "When I was considering Owen, well… I made a list. I know it sounds weird, but I got the idea from Selena. I wrote down a bunch of the qualities that were important to me. It _really_ helped. I think it would help you, too, since you know… you were having some trouble thinking on your feet there. Writing it down might make it easier to see if, you know… Julius matches up. 'Kay?"

Molly nodded slowly. It sounded like a feasible idea, albeit rather childish. Well, it wasn't like she was going to pen down her 'dream guy' or anything. Having a set of qualities that are important to her was a good thing to keep in mind. She smiled. "That's a good idea. Thank you."

Kathy smiled again and they exchanged quick good-byes so Roy didn't have to be in the cold doorway. The entire way home, Molly was trying to come up with ideas for the list she would make.


	18. Chapter 18

I drank too much tea, so I'm awake. Darn. But it's technically 'tomorrow' where I am. So why not post another chapter? Since it's pretty short, I might post the next after I've had a few winks. Thanks for reading, everybody! I love hearing what you think. I didn't mean to when I first started, but more in depth meaning developed as I wrote. I like to think while I read, so it's great to see you guys do, too! I can't wait to see what you think of the ending... It's coming up already. Just six chapters after this one!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen  
Tuesday, Winter 17****th**

* * *

Molly turned the television off. She didn't want to watch anything. Everything sucked.

They still hadn't talked about it. They had endured a near silent Starry Night Festival. The spot that was so magical and new last year quickly became brooding and strange.

She wasn't quite sure why she couldn't bring it up with Julius. She just found herself making ridiculous excuses. It wasn't the right time, she was tired, he probably had a long day, _Harvest Squadron Sprite Rangers_ was on. Yes, it even stooped that low. Molly would use anything and everything as an excuse not to talk to Julius about what was bothering her. Because it bothered her. It was unpleasant. She did not want to talk about it. But it was just something she had to do.

Well, that was obviously much easier said than done.

Molly was stirring her cup of tea at the kitchen table, waiting for Julius to come home. He should walk through the door just after eight thirty. But lately, it was more of a ten or eleven o' clock deal. It seemed he was avoiding her, too.

The farmer took another look at the list left on the table. For a moment, she wanted to tear it up and pretend she and Julius were perfect together so she could ignore all of her feelings and just be blissfully happy. But her gut was still nagging her. So she shoved the list in the bookshelf where she would be the only one to find it. She didn't have very many qualities written down, so she should probably work on it again later…

She puffed the bangs out of her face and rested her head on the table. The incessant tick of the clock was the only sound in the room, slowly driving a wedge into her brain.

_What was she doing? That list was evil. It was just telling her things she didn't want to hear. And what if Julius found it? What would he think?_

Determining to burn it straight away, Molly was about to get up when something stopped her.

A small, strange sound made Molly blink her eyes open. When it was repeated, she sat up in her chair.

_What was that…?_

_Rap, rap, rap._

_My goodness, it was someone at the door. Who would knock like that? Barely touching the door – it was freaking creepy…_

Molly stood and quickly crossed the gap to the front door. She opened it wide, almost hoping it was a serial killer who could just 'end it all.' Instead, she found a most unexpected visitor.

"H-Hello… Molly…" Candace blinked her large blue eyes at her and quickly stared down at her clogs. "Um…"

"Hi, Candace," Molly greeted quietly as well. She leaned against the door frame, not quite sure what to do.

"I… made you this…" Candace held out a blue fuzzy object. It blended in with her completely blue outfit, so Molly hadn't noticed it.

"Oh," she said. She reached out and took it, looking it over. "A muffler?"

"Y-Yes… I thought you might be able to u-use it."

The last person she expected to ever see at her door was little, shy Candace. What was completely unfathomable was Candace at her doorstep with a gift.

Molly blinked stupidly for a few moments before she stood up straight and smiled. "Thank you, Candace. Won't you… um, come in?"

"Oh, I don't want t-to intrude…" she quickly shook her large, braided pigtails. Her thick fringe covered her eyes.

"Please?" Molly asked at a loss for words.

Not able to deny the request, Candace tapped her shoes off at the door and shuffled into the house. Molly closed the door behind her, her brain not functioning properly yet. It took her a moment to ask for Candace's coat, and a good long while before they were both sitting at the kitchen table with mugs of tea.

They both stared into their cups of slowly cooling tea, but Molly dared a glance at Candace every now and again. A million and one questions were running through her mind and the first was: 'Why are you here?'

Just when Molly was about to clear her throat, Candace mumbled something. Molly didn't catch it. "Um… I'm sorry?"

Candace's face grew redder. She didn't look up. She didn't repeat herself either.

Molly pulled at the muffler in her lap. She put it on the table and smiled. "This is really soft… What's it made out of?"

"W-Wool… the thread is from silk worms…" Candace's tiny voice came out more confidently talking about her craft.

Molly nodded, trying it on her neck for size. "Wow, it's so warm! Thank you for this… again."

Candace nodded.

_Were they doomed to be awkward until she left? Would she leave? It felt like the awkward silence would last forever… Well… at least it was better than talking to Julius…_

"I-I wanted to apologize… to you."

Molly looked up in confusion. "Um, I'm sorry?"

Candace obviously hated having to repeat herself as her face was the color of a ripe tomato. She pulled the cuffs of her sweater into her palms, wearing the holes that were there even bigger. "I m-mean… I f-felt bad that… I haven't s-said anything… I-It was wrong… to avoid you."

Now Molly was just lost. Giving up, she rested her elbow on the table, holding her forehead in it. "…What?"

Candace gazed up at Molly once before looking back down at her untouched tea. With her small voice and over-sized clothes, it was hard to believe that this was _Luna_'s older sister. More like Molly's – if she had one. "J-er… Um, he's a nice guy… I-I'm glad he's happy."

Molly's shoulders slumped. "Huh?"

"Julius," Candace was forced to say it, her eyes pinched shut tight. Embarrassed tears lingered in the corners of her eyes. "I-I'm sorry I never s-said that… I was happy. For you."

Her jaw dropped.

Candace saw the expression and scooted back in her chair. "W-Well, that was all I wanted t-to say… Thanks for the… tea…"

"N-No, wait!" Molly stopped her, making it a stutter party. Candace didn't move from her seat and stared at Molly with wide, saucer-like eyes. "Was that…? I mean… Why?"

"What do you… mean?" It was Candace's turn to be confused.

"I… I thought you _hated_ him," Molly admitted.

Candace furiously shook her head. "Oh, no! No…"

Molly watched Candace's face turn shades darker again as she stared at her fumbling hands. "You _like_ him…!"

Candace's breath caught. She quickly looked up at Molly's face for her reaction.

She was surprised – rather shocked – but Molly fell back into her chair and let out a laugh. "That is… certainly _not_ the impression I got from Luna!"

"L-Luna is… over-protective…" Candace admitted, holding her tea mug with both hands.

"But didn't he bully you? I thought that… I thought…" Molly didn't have the heart to finish the story that she had heard.

Candace gave an almost imperceptible nod. "He said some… things… B-But it was my fault."

"How is that your fault? He said…" Molly stopped herself. They shared a brief eye contact before Molly was the one to break away. "Well, we both know what he said. Basically. How is that possibly your fault, Candace? I-I mean… I… don't understand."

She gave a small smile. "I wasn't fair… I refused to… to give him an answer. I pushed him and led him on… it was not right."

Molly's eyes softened. She took a quick sip of her tea – Candace copied her. "I'm sorry… I never knew—"

"Don't apologize," Candace shook her head. "Please… I'm just glad that… there's someone to make him happy now."

Molly didn't have the heart to tell her that things weren't going as well as she thought, and the only reason Julius wasn't home yet was because he was avoiding her in a sick game of hide-and-seek they were both playing.

"Would you like something to eat?" Molly offered.

Candace quickly stood, faster than Molly thought she could move. "N-No, thank you. I really should be going… I'd rather not…" _Run into him._

Molly understood. She nodded and escorted Candace to the door, helping her pull her coat on. She smiled before she opened the door. "Thanks, Candace. I um… I hope we can talk some more. Soon…?"

Candace smiled. "O-Okay…"

The door opened and icy wind blasted them both, biting into Molly who was without heavy winter artillery. "I hate being shy…"

"M-Me, too…" Candace admitted. "But it… could be worse… I suppose…"

Molly nodded at her positive outlook. She waved the girl off and finally shut the door again.

Leaning against it, Molly shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't quite believe what just happened… Molly felt it wasn't her place to tell anyone, but she really hoped Luna knew. Or that she would soon find out. How could she not know? Was Candace really just… that good? Or was Luna just that dense?

Molly couldn't get her mind off of the surreal afternoon as she washed the dishes and changed into her pajamas. She attempted some dance practice, but she wasn't in the mood. When Julius finally came back, neither of them was very hungry, so they decided to skip dinner and just go to bed.

Molly snuggled under the covers, switching off the light on the night stand and scooting over so Julius could have his regular spot by the wall. In his white T-shirt and black boxer shorts (yes, he liked to look fabulous even when he slept), Julius passed the bookshelf and spotted the muffler that Molly had left there when she was cleaning. He picked it up.

"Where'd you get this, doll face?"

Molly didn't open her eyes in the dark, hoping she had a good poker face. "I picked it up while visiting Luna today."

"Oh. It's good quality," Julius remarked, setting it down and heading for bed. When he was finally settled in, Molly tugged back part of the comforter he had stolen. He smelled like the bar again, but it didn't worry her. She knew he was probably just chatting with Selena, which also didn't worry her. If Julius was to do something completely stupid, he would not be an unfaithful drunkard. Both of those things would seriously affect his appearance, so Molly begrudgingly knew he was alright.

She huddled into him, Julius' arm resting along her side as usual. Molly finally answered him before drifting off with a sigh. "I know," she mumbled.


	19. Chapter 19

Sorry! I was suddenly very busy, but here's the next round. The end is finally on the way. Also, 'loyalty' was crossed out, but I couldn't keep the formatting. You'll get what I mean towards the end... Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen  
Sunday, Spring 8****th**

* * *

She just got off the phone with her parents. Molly felt bad, but she didn't want to talk to them either. What would she say? It wasn't a very good time to come visiting, especially with Julius. They weren't speaking much at all these days. They were both waiting for the other to say something.

So Molly let her parents down gently. She finally decided on the excuse that the farm is really busy in spring. Lots of newborns and crops and work to clear after the winter. Her mother was disappointed, but she bought it. Her father on the other hand was rather suspicious, but he mercifully didn't say anything. It seemed he was letting Molly work out her problems herself.

But of course, Molly wasn't prepared to stand alone. Not yet. She needed someone. Someone she had avoided for long enough.

Molly gnawed her lip, trying to think of ways to bring a conversation about casually. Would they fight? Molly didn't see how they could evade it.

Her feet trekked their way into Harmonica Town along the familiar grey cobblestones. Molly looked up. It was a cloudy day. The street lamps that were solar powered were confused by the overcast, so they glowed a dim yellow even though it was midday. It would probably rain later.

To her surprise, the girl she was looking for was looking back at her against the chain rail in front of her grandmother's shop. Molly blinked for a few seconds before making up her mind. She hurried down the steps, pulled her hands from her jacket pockets, and joined Luna staring out at the harbor.

"Funny seeing _you_ here," Luna was the first to say something, and it quickly stung. She sniffed haughtily. "Didn't think you'd have the time for _me_ anymore."

"I'm sorry," Molly rightly apologized. But being a stronger person since she saw her last, she cleared her throat. "But you do know why I've been avoiding you, right?"

"I see you finally cut your hair again. It looked silly before," she ignored Molly's question with a shrug of her shoulders. "Everyone knows you've been changing to please him."

Molly puffed out her cheeks but let the air out in a quiet sigh. "This is exactly what I've been avoiding, Luna. Look, I miss you. A _lot_. But I knew this would happen – you'd start insulting him again! Whenever I see you, you bash him!"

"Of course I will! I always will!" Luna retorted, flicking her pink hair over her shoulder. "I don't like him!"

"Can't you respect my relationship though?" Molly asked, almost begged. She stared at Luna's profile since the other girl refused to face her. "If not Julius, at least me? We were friends…"

"_Were_…" Luna corrected icily. Molly didn't hear the hurt that was masked in her voice until she continued, her words cracking and her breath uneven. "I mean… until you ditched me for that… that… _sleezeball_…"

"Luna, I didn't mean to…" Molly began but stopped herself from lying.

Luna stared at her fingers, her vision blurring. "Oh, sure! Whatever. Forget about your friends. See if they care!"

The farmer gulped and looked down at the rolling waves as well. Her hands knotted around the black chain that connected the street lanterns and acted as the only barrier between the walk and the water. She noted that her pink jacket was almost the same hue as her friend's hair. It made her smile despite the painful but much needed conversation. Molly's voice was quiet. "I'm really sorry, Luna. You're… You're right. You understand why now, but what I did was wrong. I'm sorry. Alright?"

Luna twisted her head away. Taking that as she wasn't forgiven, Molly's eyes welled with tears. She dropped the chain and made for the stairs.

"So why'd you come, huh?" Luna called.

Molly stopped, slowly turning around. Her hands in her pockets again, she looked down at her mud caked trainers. She shrugged.

"You finally think I'm right. That's it, isn't it?" She ventured, crossing her arms and finally facing her friend. "Is it all crumbling around you? Don't know what to do now?"

Molly looked up with a fiery glint in her dark eyes. "Maybe?! And so what, huh? Why do you care – if, if we're not f-friends, huh?"

Luna bit her cheek, glaring daggers. Her foot started to tap in a distracted, energetic fashion. "You should've listened to me in the first place! It's your own fault!"

"So? So what if I'm wrong? I'm scared even? So what if no one's supported us from the start? So what if it's been expected since day freaking one?!" Molly was rooted in front of the Tailor's like it was some sort of old West show down. Her hands were tight at her sides, ready for the draw that was on her tongue. "Just admit you like to _control_ me, and when I'm off your leash, it pisses you off! Go on – say it! That's why you hate Julius so much – he's given me freedom from _you!_"

Luna stomped her foot like the child she always argued she wasn't. Her fists were clenched at her sides like Molly's. "Stupid! I wanted to _protect_ you from people like him! Didn't you listen the first time?! He's a bully! And you're just like him now! I don't even know you anymore!"

"Well, maybe I don't even know me anymore!" Molly shouted back. "Maybe I came here looking for a friend – someone who can tell me what I need to hear. But no! I-Instead… you're just…"

"Go on. Say it," Luna threatened.

Molly dared. "You're just being a bitch!"

With a scream, Luna ripped off her shoe and threw it at Molly's head. Molly didn't even have to dodge – it sailed yards over her, hitting halfway up the stairs. Both girls stared at it. The little white slipper tumbled a few steps and landed upside down, rocking on its plastic flower bauble.

Molly stole a glance at Luna whose tear-stained face was staring dumbfounded back. She couldn't help but crack a smile. "You… You have terrible aim."

"I could barely see – I've got all this crap in my eyes!" Luna whined, wiping the make-up that ran with her tears.

Molly softly giggled and picked up the shoe.

"Can I have that back?" Luna asked, hopping on one foot so as not to dirty her stocking.

"Here…" Molly rubbed at her own sniffling nose, handing Luna the shoe with her other hand.

"Thanks…" the girl mumbled, sliding her foot inside and adjusting the flower. Satisfied, Luna put her foot back down.

Both were embarrassed and slightly ashamed. Luna bit her thumb nail, and Molly fiddled with the sapphire bracelet around her wrist.

The kind to weave around an apology, Luna laughed lightly. "Well… that was rather silly, huh?"

"Yeah…" Molly agreed with a sorrowful smile. "I'm sorry. I was over-reacting… I tend to do that a lot lately…"

Luna shrugged her slim shoulders and smoothed her skirt. "Ahem! Apology accepted! No harm done. Glad that's off the chest."

Molly wasn't going to push for an apology. At the moment, she didn't feel very deserving of hearing one anyways. She let out a heavy sigh. "So… So how are you and Gill?"

"Apparently, better than you and Julius," she quipped. Seeing the stung look on Molly's face, Luna quickly added: "No offence."

"None taken," Molly lied.

"You know… I didn't want to hit you anyways. That's why… you know," Luna mumbled, grinding the tip of her shoe into the pavement.

"Why does everyone fight nowadays?" Molly sighed. "It's like… Everyone was hiding something. And it's all coming out at once."

"I didn't hide anything," Luna denied. Her blue eyes roved back over towards the ocean. "I told you from the start."

"Which I never thought I'd say I'd be grateful for…" She chuckled, coming to stand beside her friend. "But it's just something I admire about you, Luna. You wear your heart on your sleeve…"

"So what have you been hiding, Molly?" Luna looked curiously at the farmer out of the corner of her eye.

Molly hung her head. The string in her pocket suddenly became rather interesting. Before she could over think things as usual, Molly found herself saying the thing she hadn't been able to say all along. "He intimidates me. Still. I feel like… I'm not good enough. No matter what I try."

"I _told_ you—"

"But, Luna, it's not his fault…" Molly looked out over the water with a far off gaze. The wind ruffled her mousy hair, and the scent of coming rain and salt water tides filled her nose. "It's mine… It's funny, but he didn't do anything wrong. I don't think. There isn't a 'bad guy' here."

Luna waited patiently (for once) for Molly to finish. The farmer pulled her jacket tighter. "I can talk to him about anything… Or at least I used to. Until I found… this wall again. I just… I think I've always been this way. And I bit off more than I could chew. But this time, I've got to drag someone else down with me when I fall…"

Luna looked at Molly in a new light, seeing her not as the naïve, quiet girl for the first time. She smirked. "Hey, you've really grown up."

"Thanks, Mom."

She giggled. "But what's this mean? What are you going to do?"

Molly held herself around the middle. A few flecks of rain tapped the pavement. "I don't know yet."

* * *

Julius didn't ask where Molly was off to when she left the house in such a hurry. She had tended to her animals and her new spring crops, and the next thing Julius saw was her brown head walking briskly down the hill. It wasn't a surprise that she wouldn't say where she was going… or if she had plans. He was guilty of the same crime.

If something was wrong, Molly would tell him… _Wouldn't she?_ Well, apparently not. And Julius was sick of letting things ruminate. Maybe he would finally say something today. When she got home. Hm. Home.

The violet haired designer frowned as he looked around the room. He never pictured himself living in such a cluttered mess. The feng shui was all wrong. Of course, he had tried, but there wasn't much to do about it…

Julius adjusted his coat on the rack, making sure it wouldn't wrinkle. He rather felt like a pirate without his skirt and jacket. Only the black pants and socks and the white ruffled shirt today. Strange, how fashion didn't really concern him when he was in Molly's house. It was like he was hidden away. No one would see him here.

His hair was down today, too. Julius wasn't a fan of the hair tie (he was still afraid of bald spots), but Molly seemed to like it. He paced the floor with his little sketch pad, coming up with ideas on his feet. Julius took the pencil from his mouth and jotted down a few pattern notes next to the skirt drawing on the page. _No, maybe plaid was best after all…_

Frustrated after having erased again, Julius tossed his sketchpad on top of the television and lounged on the sofa. He threw his head back, staring at the white ceiling.

Molly's house was so… quiet. So _boring_. There was absolutely nothing to do. Then again, what would he be doing if he was at his house? Probably the same thing. Two days off a week was just too much. He never thought he'd say it, but Julius would gladly say it again – he had too much time on his hands! The spring designs were ready well ahead of time (partly to make up for his past tardiness), he didn't have any new business projects to work on at his aunt's store, and for heaven's sake – there wasn't even a new show to film! Everything had been taken care of Thursday with extra time to spare. So it was more like… three days off a week. It was torture!

Julius puffed the hair that had fallen into his face. Suddenly sitting up and looking around him, Julius got an idea. _Might as well explore a little… _What's the harm? He lived there, too. And maybe he could happen upon something that was bothering Molly… Kill boredom and relationship tension. _Two birds with one stone!_

Up on his feet quick as a cat, Julius slinked around the room suspiciously. Like he was afraid he would be caught doing something wrong.

The first spot he checked was underneath the bed. There was a box of personal letters Molly had from people back in her hometown. Some from her mother and the Mrs. Clarence that she always rambled about. It only reminded Julius he hadn't met her parents yet. He wrinkled his nose and shut the box.

Molly's records were of little interest to him. When at first they had seemed to be an endless supply, Julius was now sure he had heard them all. At least twice. Some of Molly's favorites were often stuck in his head. And that wasn't always entirely unpleasant, but then again, if he heard Glenn Miller's 'Moonlight Serenade' one more time, he was going to make stylish wall decorations out of all these stupid vinyls.

Julius was intrigued for a bit by the phonograph. He attempted to crank it like Molly did, but he didn't set it up quite right and the thing jammed. Panicked, Julius yanked the handle out and adjusted everything back into its proper dust mark so as to appear he never touched it in the first place.

"Silly contraption…" he muttered to himself, pushing everything back underneath the bed. Sitting on his knees, Julius looked around him at the rather small one-room house. He pouted. "Nothing more to see… Is that it? Really?"

But there was no other place for interesting things to hide. The bureaus were packed with Julius' poor, wrinkled clothes and there was no room for extra boxes of storage. No secrets here.

Thoroughly bored out of his mind, Julius groaned and lifted himself to his feet. Even after he made himself a cup of herb tea, his mind wasn't satisfied. He was just too curious. He needed something adventurous. Something – dare he say it? – _active_ to take up his time. And his list of things to do was running dangerously low.

His socks slid along the wood floor as he set himself before the bookshelf, finally at his wit's end. His fingers tapped the mug in his hands testily as his eyes scanned the titles. "_And Then There Were None?_ What does that even mean? How can she honestly _read_ these things?"

Julius took the book by the top, pulling it forward out of the tightly packed paper backs. What surprised him was the corner of a piece of notebook paper inching out the end when he disturbed the row of books.

Excited with his maroon eyes alight, Julius pounced upon the opportunity of something interesting. Setting down his mug, he shoved the novel back into the row and went for the paper. When he tried to pull it out, the corner started to tear. Squinting at it, Julius pulled a few books out before freeing it from the cranny.

He replaced the books and remembered the spot he found it, pulling one of the books out as a marker. The paper looked fairly new and it was sloppily folded over a few times. Julius was beginning to bemoan his idiocy as he opened it. "Probably a shopping list… Molly would do something strange like that… Leave it somewhere, thinking she'd find it. Heh. It's probably… just…"

A stitch formed between his eyebrows as Julius read the list, for a list it was indeed. But it was not the sort of list he was expecting to encounter.

In scratched pencil, the slightly slanted hand of the author began with:

_1: Caring/Family Man  
2: Spontaneity (kind of adventurous?)  
3: Loves Animals (a must!)_

Julius found himself at the couch. He slowly sat down, holding out the paper to read.

_4: Honest (doesn't hold things back – like Luna?) (or maybe not…) (heart on sleeve!)  
5__: Loyalty __ (Kind of obvious, right?)__  
__6: Excitable/Fun  
7: Brave (in a sense)  
8: Easygoing (a big picture kind of guy)  
9: Not Worried About Appearances  
10: Sweet (not really romantic… gets awkward)  
11:_

The list ended there. Julius let the paper hang, a hand going over his tightly closed mouth. He leaned forward on his knees, keeping his eyes shut. When he opened them, he couldn't decide where to look. His eyes went everywhere, but they always came back to the slowly crumpling paper that was still in his other hand.

After a few minutes of taking it in (_and what it meant, and what it could mean, and is __this__ what was bothering her? __Him__?_), Julius stood and carefully folded the paper back to how it was and shoved it between the books. When he picked up his tea, he was surprised to find it still hot. He hadn't been gone long? It felt like he had been reading that list for _hours_…

Shaking his head with a frown still on his lips, Julius snatched up his sketch pad off the television and decided to go for a walk before it rained.

He completely forgot about the idea of asking Molly what was wrong when she came home.


	20. Chapter 20

The chapters are getting quite a bit shorter now. Sorry for that, but it's just how it worked out... Also! I'm planning on writing an FAQ among other things as I like to do with a completed story, so I'd love to hear any questions you might have! I'll answer them in the FAQ if they're not answered by the story itself. I hope I can clear things up or give you extra tidbits. :)

* * *

**Chapter Twenty  
Friday, Spring 27****th**

* * *

The weather was gorgeous at spring's finale. Most of the wild flowers had ceased blooming, and the world was turning a rich green. On such a beautiful, cloudless day, all of the windows were open and the animals were outside. The smell of fresh earth and clean wind swept through the home. It was one of the brightest days of the new year.

Molly was busy outdoors, finished cleaning the hooves of her sheep and cattle. Everyone was groomed and well-fed. Her chances looked good.

On the other hand, Julius was busy as a bee inside, his summer collection almost complete. His designs were drawn out and ready and most of the ensembles were sewn and put together. He was on his last.

Molly clapped her gloves free of the dust. In a chipper mood, she kicked her boots at the door. "I think I might actually win something at the Animal Festival this year!"

"Oh? That's great, doll face," Julius smiled, clipping a string.

"I think I'll enter Myrtle," she continued as she poured herself a glass of water at the sink.

"Hm?" Julius asked through the measuring tape in his mouth, pulling the dress smooth on the hanger. As usual this time of season, hangers were crammed into the moldings bordering the room, outfits for boys, girls, men, and women dangling from the walls.

"My black sheep," Molly inspected the green skirt hanging from a cupboard by her face. She was quietly impressed. "Are you finished yet?"

"On the last one," he pinned a ribbon around the dress' middle, continuing to measure up and down and across to make sure everything was in place. He pulled a pencil from behind his ear and made a small tick on the yellow measuring tape.

"They look great," she said thoughtfully.

Julius eyed her, smirking with a pin in his mouth. "Thank you."

"What do you think about getting a dog?"

Molly's secret little list in mind, Julius hesitated. "A dog? Any reason?"

The brunette shrugged, ruffling her hair and finishing off her glass of water. "Eh, I don't know. It's kind of dull in here, you know? A dog could really liven up the place. Besides, a sheep dog would be useful for the flock, too… I really like animals. Do you like… animals? Julius?"

Bitterly suspicious, Julius struggled not to let it show. _So she was testing him after all. Cute._ "Hm… I don't know, doll face," he knotted the thread and started to sew the pink ribbon in place, kneeling on the floor to see better. "Dog's are rather… Well, they can get a little obnoxious, don't you think? I tend to prefer weasels."

"Yeah, I guess so… Wait, weasels?" Molly looked up, surprised.

Julius shrugged casually. "Sure. Ferrets, you know. They're so… misunderstood. And so playful. Yes, I like weasels. Why not get a weasel?"

"Well…" Molly pulled a face, quickly turning to hide it by putting her cup in the sink. "Uh… Really? Weasels? They're… Well, don't they smell? And they wouldn't have much use around the farm…"

"They'd be fun around the house," he said. There was a pause before he snapped the thread and started on the other side. "Never mind, doll face. Just a suggestion."

"No, don't worry. We should think about it," Molly nodded even though she dreaded the thought of having a useless pet like a weasel. She could admit they were cute, but… she was a farmer. A dog was so much more practical. Even a barn cat to catch the mice. _But… a weasel? Er… no._

Molly sighed again, pulling her gloves tight around her wrists.

"Oh, Molly, could you help me out real quick? I'd like you to try a few of these on for me before I take them in," Julius called before she could leave.

She slouched, stopping in the front door. "But, Julius, I have a ton of work to do."

"It won't take very long," he pouted.

Molly held up her fingers to count the things that had to be done. "But I still have to water my crops, and weed the field, and check for eggs, and get some herbs, and—"

"But, doll face, please? I really need some help here," Julius stood up straight, one hand on his hip.

The farmer bit her lip, looking up at the sky. She would only have a few more hours of daylight left to finish all of her chores. She had to start dinner soon, too. Turning back to Julius, she eyed the dress. "Um… Can it wait? I can do it later after it's dark…?"

"But I have to get these in today before the shop closes at five," Julius crossed his arms.

Molly blew the bangs from her face. Great, an impasse. She would have helped him, but Julius' definition of 'real quick' was certainly not speedy enough for Molly. He wouldn't be satisfied, so he'd redo a few things and make Molly try on half a dozen outfits, standing and doing nothing while he sewed and nit-picked about them. It was boring for her, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. But she didn't have time for it. Especially not today. "I'm sorry, Julius, but I really can't. The Animal Festival is tomorrow, so things are a little hectic around the farm right now."

Julius sighed, meaning he understood and was just going to deal without her. When she took a timid step outside, he called her back. "Well, I have a little question for you, Molly. Have some time for that?"

Confused, Molly slowly nodded. "Yes…? What is it?"

Since finding Molly's list and thinking it over for a couple weeks, Julius had a few items for a list of his own. "How do you feel about travel?"

"Travel?" Molly wrinkled her nose. "Travel where?"

He waved a bored hand. "Just in general."

"Well, I don't know where I would want to go…" she replied. She remembered her cumbersome trips to visit her parents where she had to take the bus and do lots of walking. "Hm. I'd have to say I'm not a fan. Besides, I can't think of anywhere better than Harmonica Town! No reason to travel. Um… Why?"

Julius was frowning like he was disappointed. "So you wouldn't ever want to leave, hm?"

Molly's eyes bugged. "Leave? Of course not! I mean – the farm! I've got a steady life here… and… I couldn't leave the animals—"

"They can be sold," Julius reminded. He was tentative about his ground, not sure where she would land on this subject.

Molly was immediately on the defense, her arms crossed and her eyes glaring. "Out of the question! They're… they're like my _family_… I… I love them; I could never sell."

"Horn Ranch wouldn't abuse them," he quipped lightly.

"Not the point," she shook her head vehemently. "I would never sell. No. Why are you asking me this, Julius?"

Finally finished sewing the ribbon on, Julius knotted the thread and broke it off. Flicking his long violet hair over his shoulder, he stood back, admiring his work and looking at it from all angles to be sure it was done right. It also gave him an excuse not to look at Molly who was clearly livid. "I _like_ to travel. And I never imagined myself staying on little old Castanet forever. That's all I was saying, doll face."

Molly looked at her shoes. Though she wasn't defeated, her anger was subdued. _It was just an innocent question after all…_ "So you want to travel to… to be a designer?"

Julius thought for a moment before agreeing. "Yes, that sounds nice. See what's the latest in the world of fabulous fashion trends…"

"So you'll be doing this kind of thing—" Molly pulled at a hanging pair of men's slacks. "—forever?"

He frowned. "Are you going to do this farming thing forever?"

"Yeah," Molly nodded. She forced a small smile. "Okay… Um… I have to go – now."

She disappeared out the door in a flash – more than likely to avoid being stopped again. Julius thoughtfully put his sewing supplies away in the silence. That had been the longest conversation they had in weeks. And it was finally filled with answers they both needed to hear from each other.

Julius finally let out a heavy sigh, reclining on the edge of the bed. "So it appears we're on short terms… How depressing."

Molly silently agreed with him from her spot leaning against the siding of her house. She looked up and found the spotlight staring back at her. In the shade, it started to give off a dim glow. It reminded her that she didn't have much time to complete the chores of the day, so she pushed off the wall, wiped the tear away, and marched down the hill.


	21. Chapter 21

Ah, the things people will do to beat around the bush... Well, that should be over soon. Thanks for the continuous reviews - it means a lot. :) And thanks for sticking around!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One  
Thursday, Summer 12****th**

* * *

Early in the morning, Molly opened her eyes. She blinked in the darkness and let out a small groan. Stretching her arms up over her head, she yawned and rolled over. Her nose came into contact with Julius' back.

Molly sleepily stared at the white shirt and strands of messy purple hair. Julius was lightly breathing – still fast asleep. As it was Thursday, he would be asleep the same until noon.

She couldn't explain the feeling she had when she reached out, but Molly tugged on Julius' shirt, balling the loose cotton in her fists. She snuggled her face into his shoulder blades.

Julius stirred. He rolled over with his eyes still closed, forcing Molly to let go. She was worried she woke him at first, but he didn't appear to be fully awake. By habit, he pushed her bangs out of her face and kissed her forehead before hugging her close, tucking her head under his chin and holding her there like a teddy bear.

Molly blinked stupidly for a minute before she curled her arms in front of her and buried her face in his chest. She let out a silent sigh. For some reason, today was a big day. Molly could feel it. Something important or momentous was going to happen. Of course, she had no idea what the day really held, so she let herself forget the feeling and slid her eyes closed again, drifting back into sleep.

* * *

The first harvest of the season was in the shipping bin, and the weather was beautiful once again. As Molly's favorite season of summer, the air was sticky and warm, but the shade was pleasant, cool, and breezy. She found the time to lounge underneath one of her cherry trees as she watched her animals roam through the grass.

She made shapes and characters with the clouds (and a good deal of imagination) and even a few stories. Molly was smiling to herself, feeling better than she had in weeks. Just in her favorite pair of shorts, a tank top, and her boots and work gloves. The chores were done early, and the day was looking bright.

Molly suddenly remembered the feeling she had when she first woke up; when she woke up too early. She wanted to say it was excited, but the feeling was ominous somehow. Like a cloud.

_Maybe… Maybe it's like these bright clouds_. She thought to herself optimistically. _Maybe it could still be happy..._

The brunette fell over into the grass, spreading her hair out away from her neck and stretching her limbs over the ground. Looking up through the branches at the blinding sun, the iridescent greens filtered with yellows and colors so bright they appeared white in Molly's eyes. Her hand roved along the grass, found a dandelion, and beheaded it.

A small jingle reminded her there was something permanently attached to her wrist. Sitting up, Molly examined the sapphire bracelet. It hadn't lost its shine or splendor in the year after it was given to her. When it came to the bracelet, it didn't feel like a year. It felt like it had always been there. But it was a year – to the day, in fact. She tested the colors in the sun, spinning her wrist to and fro. A small smile appeared on her lips.

Molly pulled herself to her feet. One of her sheep had separated from the group and decided to bid her a good morning. She ran her fingers through the thin wool on the top of the ewe's head. Patting her on the bum, Molly directed her back to her friends before heading briskly to the house.

When she opened the door, Julius was at the vanity getting ready to film. Molly spotted the time and offhandedly asked: "Won't you be late?"

"I've got plenty of time, doll face. Besides – I like to be fashionably late," he answered, experimenting with a choker necklace.

"Of course you would," Molly rolled her eyes good-humoredly. She paced about, not quite deciding on what to do. She finally found herself at the bookshelf, looking through the titles. When she picked out a paper back on the second shelf, she had difficulty pulling it out. In a huff, Molly took out a handful of books.

There was a pause.

Soon, another handful came. And then another. And then they were frantically being torn from the shelf and tossed on the floor.

Molly didn't notice Julius had stopped what he was doing. He wasn't watching her, but he was looking in the mirror, waiting with interest.

Panicked, Molly got to her knees and started to flip through the discarded books on the floor now that the shelf was cleared. She doubted herself, so she checked the other shelves but soon gave up on them. She knew it was on the second. Back to the floor, she shook and skimmed pages trying to find that stupid—

"Looking for this, doll face?" Julius held up a little square of white notebook paper between his fingers.

His voice was soft, not scathing or mocking like she feared. Molly's own voice came out in a whisper. "Where did you get that?"

"You know, I thought this was pretty low for you. This kind of thing," he said. He swiveled around in his chair to finally look at her. Molly bit her tongue at the obvious hurt in his eyes that wasn't in his voice. And the anger.

"Where did you get that?" Molly repeated, quickly on her feet and striding towards him to take it.

Julius would have none of that. He calmly held it away from her across the vanity table. "I mean, why can't you just talk to me? Tell it to my face?"

"Where did you get that?" Molly said, more frantic. They were the only words she knew now.

He started to overpower her pleading: "That you don't _like_ me as a person—"

"WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT, JULIUS?!" She screamed, making a mad dive for it.

Julius was on his feet faster than she would have thought he could be, holding the paper up high – much too high for her reach over their heads. He was glaring and yelling now, too. "Where do you think I found it?! Talk to me, Molly! Open your mouth and tell me what's going on in your head because I am not a mind-reader, I'm sick of guessing, and I don't want to find shit like this! Put yourself in my shoes – what would you think if you found this? What kind of a blow is this? Some kind of sick joke?"

"Look, I'm sorry – you were never meant—" Molly begged, knowing it was a lost cause. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about it… and that he had found it. And read it. And known about it for who knows how long.

"And now you're apologizing?!" Julius held a hand to his forehead in an exhausted gesture. "I'm sick of that, too. You think 'sorry' makes everything better. 'Oh, just bottle it up and save it for later' when it explodes like this! Do you like this?"

"No…" she mumbled, staring at her hands. The bracelet glared at her, too.

"Do you _like this?_ Do you?" Julius demanded, scrunching her list in his fist.

Molly cracked. She threw her hands over her ears and yelled at the top of her voice. "NO! Shut up, Julius! Stop it! Just STOP!"

"Finally! Fight back! Tell me something – anything – yell, scream, cry – show some emotion for fuck's sake—" he bitterly cursed again.

"Emotion?!" Molly shrieked. She found herself walking away and pacing around the room, throwing glares at him when she emphasized her words. "You want _emotion_ out of me? Fine – I _hate_ this! I hate what we are! I hate this dead end future, I hate that we're hiding things so we don't hurt anyone's feelings when it's shredding us to _bits_, and I hate that we're both so silently _unhappy!"_

"Well, we're certainly not silent now, doll face! I'm quite sure they've heard our screaming all the way up on Garmon Mountain!" He threw an arm out, dramatically pointing in that general direction.

"I don't care!" Molly threw her arms in the air, too. "I don't care, I don't care, I don't care! I'm going to be selfish for once in my life and _not care!"_

"Well, _for once in your life_, could you be honest about us? Whatever the hell we are?" Julius strained to keep his voice at a normal level, putting his hands on his hips.

"Yes, gladly!" She crossed her arms tightly under her chest, rooting herself next to the near empty bookshelf.

Julius pushed the chair out of his way, making it squeak against the wood floor. He un-balled the notebook paper from his fist and held it up in front of her face. "What do you want? This list?"

"I hate that list. I wish I tore it up," Molly said darkly from the other side of the piece of paper, the words staring daggers at her like Julius was.

"You're lying," he accused.

Molly stomped her foot in a way that was reminiscent of Luna. She snatched the list from him and violently started to tear it to pieces between them. "No, I'm not! I-I hate what it's done to me! I hate thinking about it – I hate what it's ruined! I… I hate that it's not _you_ written there, Julius! I h-hate that it's not… Everything would be so much easier if it was _you_…"

White paper snow tumbled along the floor, catching on their feet and the scattered books around them. They both stared down, not really seeing anything. The open window gave a gust of wind that opened the covers of flimsy paper backs and spun pages.

"So what does that mean?" Julius asked quietly.

"It means… I-I don't know!" Molly gave a tired sigh and folded her arms around her middle protectively.

Julius shook his head. She eyed him tentatively. He let out a heavier sigh than Molly's and indicated the paper scraps. "Yes, you do. We've both known for quite a long time – before you wrote this."

"Well, what do you want me to do, Julius?" Her voice came out bitter, not like she felt. She felt small and stupid and vulnerable. Anything but a fighter. "Ignore it? Change you to fit? Say that God-awful cliché: 'it's not you, it's me?'"

"Salvage what we have – make it right again. Communicate. We can try to fix this!"

Molly was the one to shake her head this time. "You can't just fix it! We've ignored each other too long… It's not some… some puzzle – we're people, not pieces!"

What Julius said next brought back the feeling Molly had when she woke up. And now she knew what it was. "We have to move on, then."

"You're… you're right…" she agreed. Molly was surprised to hear her own voice when she was sure she couldn't speak. She just kept going.

Molly reached for her hair and pulled her fingers through it. She easily avoided looking at Julius who was having the opposite problem – he couldn't seem to look anywhere but at Molly.

"So was that it?" He asked in a shockingly calm voice. That was always something to admire about him. His quick composure. "That was the end?"

"Don't say it like that. Please," Molly's words trailed off. She looked up at him. She wondered if she looked as tired as he did. If she had lost her smile. If her eyes were duller. If her hair didn't set quite like it used to. If she was paler. But she knew she was the same as him before she could see the mirror. "…Did you really think we could… work it out?"

Julius turned away, immediately going to the vanity. He pushed the chair back in. "I don't know. I hoped, I suppose."

"You wouldn't have been happy with me," she reminded.

"I don't like the past tense."

"Neither do I."

There was an uncomfortable silence. The urge to run built up inside of Molly as her hand touched the sapphire bracelet. But her feet had a mind of their own like her lips now. She couldn't leave. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and fixed her eyes on Julius' back as he leaned on the chair.

Because he was looking at the mirror, it felt like he was talking to himself when he asked: "So what now?"

"Like you said… We… m-move on. Right?" Molly said.

It was pathetically forced, but it did the trick. Julius nodded. He adjusted his jacket, fluffed the ruffles of his shirt collar, rolled his shoulders, and made for the door. Molly had completely forgotten that he had a show to do. And now he had extra stress.

"Julius, I'm so sorry this happened now; I forgot that you had to…"

Her apology drifted when he spun around with his signature smirk. "If you try to apologize, doll face, I swear…"

He didn't finish the thought. The door closed quietly behind him with a small click.

Molly felt around blindly, not quite knowing how real the past half hour had been. Suddenly, her hand was wrapped around the receiver of her phone and her fingers were slowly pressing a pattern of memorized buttons.

The phone rang only a second before a bright voice picked up. "Hello, this is Sonata Tailoring. How may I be of service?"

Molly slowly sat down on the floor, her knees collapsing in as she slid. The cord tugged the body of the phone closer to the edge of the table. "Luna? It's Molly."

Luna's voice surprised her. "Molly? Molly, are you okay?"

"I…" the farmer began, shaking her head. "I… um…"

"Molly, hold on a second, okay? I'll be right over—"

"No, I'm fine," Molly lied. She bit her lip and then broke into a smile. "It's just that…"

* * *

The knocking came quick and precise, three sharp taps and silence. When it wasn't answered, the front door swung open.

Having invited herself in, Luna rolled her eyes. "Molly, where are you? I didn't come all this way to wait around!"

"Sorry! Just a minute!" Molly called from her bathroom.

Luna looked around the house in the meantime. She was surprised how clean everything was. Even the television was dust free. The books were lined neatly on the shelves, and there wasn't a dish to be seen.

The bathroom door opened and Molly emerged wearing the jean shorts Luna hated and a soaking wet tank top. She wrinkled her nose. "What's wrong with your shirt?"

"What a greeting," Molly chided. She pulled the top down around her hips. "I had a little mishap with the sink in the bathroom when I was cleaning. The faucet was a bit loose, so I thought I could fix it, but I obviously—"

"You were fixing a _sink?_" Luna made it sound like a ghastly crime.

"Uh, yeah," she nodded, wiping her hands dry on her pants. "Anyways, thanks a million for coming by. I thought it would be best this way, you know? Get things out of the way without all the awkward."

Luna's jaw dropped and her shoulders slouched. "Are you kidding?! I thought that furniture thing was just a ploy to get me down here!"

"Nope," Molly shook her head. "That was real. Why?"

"You're supposed to cry and fall apart and… and… totally freak out and throw stuff!" Luna gave a pantomime dramatic.

Molly chuckled. "Nah, that's a waste. I'm… I'm actually feeling pretty good. I mean, sure, we fought it out, but we finally talked. Everything's in the open now. Like a cement block's been taken off my back."

"Molly, you just broke up with your boyfriend. Your boyfriend of almost two years," Luna said it like it would change Molly into the sniveling creature she was supposed to be. She put her hands on her friend's shoulders. "And I mean just. Like… what? Two hours ago?"

Molly looked at the clock and nodded. "Hm. It feels shorter than that."

"Did you clean your whole house in just two hours?" Luna left Molly and swiped her finger along the kitchen table.

"It's not a very big house," she shrugged. "Well, we'd really better get to work. I'd hate to have a run-in with Julius during this, you know? I think it'd just be best if we make it as short as possible. Get all of his stuff back at his house, so we don't have to dilly dally about it. You ready?"

Luna blinked again. She shook her head, pigtails flopping like dog ears. "Honestly? I think you're nuts. And look what I'm wearing! This dress wasn't meant to get all sweated up with physical labor!"

"I thought of that!" Molly quickly went to the bureau and returned with shorts and a tank top similar to Molly's but it was green instead of yellow. "I figured you'd forget that part since you were coming straight from work – thanks again, by the way. But see, you can change into this!"

The girly tailor nearly screamed when the clothes were put into her embrace. "Oh, but these are awful! They're so dirty and casual and plain and—" Molly crossed her arms, making an 'ahem' noise and pointing at the clothes she was sporting that were almost exactly the same. Luna gave her a sickeningly sweet, sarcastic smile. "Er – I mean, they're lovely. Why thank you, Molly."

"Much better!" Molly clapped. "Now hurry up!"

After Luna was shoved into the bathroom and her clothes changed, Molly had boxes pulled out from under the bed and reassembled to be useful again. They filled them with Julius' clothes and trinkets and dishes and products and memories. Luckily, Molly had the key to his house, but after forgetting it after lugging a few boxes all the way to Flute Fields, there was an extra trip back before things were remedied and his front door was opened. Molly didn't know where things were supposed to go, so she lined the boxes up neatly in the center of his bedroom.

The furniture that came next was a pain. Luna was poor at lifting and she did more complaining and whining than actual work, so Molly more or less carried the first table all by herself. When it came to the bureau, they had lugged it out the front door when Luna gave up with an irritated sigh.

"How the hell did you get all of this crap up here by yourselves? In a day?!" She whined, waving a hand by her face to act as a fan.

Molly shrugged, remembering that night back in fall. "Well, we were fueled by—"

"I don't wanna know!" Luna cut her off, putting her hands over her ears.

"I was going to say a full moon and mental exhaustion, but sure. Throw your mind in the gutter – that's _real_ classy, Luna," Molly tied her hair up into a ponytail, giving her friend a demeaning look.

Luna crossed her arms, but her cheeks went pink with embarrassment. "Humph. I don't know if I like this new, numb Molly."

"Really? I think I do," she smiled brightly.

"Well… I guess that's all that counts. Come on – pick up the other end; I'm going to die."

Molly laughed and heaved up her end of the dresser. Luna struggled with her end and they started their way down the hill.

"I hate this!" Luna groaned again. Her bangs were sticking to her face with the summer heat. She tried to blow them away, but they barely moved. "It's so hot out! I hate summer!"

"Now don't go hating everything…" Molly muttered, making up for the lack Luna was giving by hefting the dresser up higher on her end. "If it makes you feel better, this was the last of it—"

"Thank GOD!" The pink haired girl praised as they rounded the cliff.

"Sorry again…" Molly mumbled, sounding more like herself. "I thought this might be a good time… Even though we couldn't really ask your boyfriend for help since he's busy filming with Julius. Then again, I think he'd be about as useful as you, so I don't think I'd be able to deal with the tag team of haters."

Luna stuck out her tongue. The awkward pause alerted Molly something was up, so she looked across at her friend. Luna was framed by the sea behind her as they walked side by side with the bureau between them down the path. "Actually… um… He's not my boyfriend."

"Oh?" Molly asked suspiciously. The possibility they were in the same break up boat occurred to her, but it was highly improbable with a guy like Gill and the inching smile on Luna's face.

"He's actually my fiancé."

Molly stopped. Forced to halt, too, Luna paused on the path, muscles shaking with the weight of the piece.

"I know it's _horrible_ timing to tell you—"

Molly's end of the dresser dropped, so Luna let go of hers with a yelp. She was promptly tackled by her sticky, farmer friend in a tight hug. "My goodness, Luna, that's great! Don't worry about me – congratulations! That's awesome! I'm so happy for you!"

"Y-You're okay?" Luna asked, not hugging her back. Partly due to surprise and partly grossed out with how sweaty they both were.

Molly pulled away, brown eyes beaming at her. "Of course! Wow, how are you? How are you feeling? When did it happen? Was it really romantic? Wow, I can't believe it!"

Molly's gushing soothed Luna's worry. "Er – well, it kind of happened over dinner. We talked it out and decided it was the best thing for both of us."

She stood there for a minute before she was off like a rocket again. "Wow, that is so dull – I knew he was a robot, but it really couldn't have been any other way with you guys, I guess – I'm so happy for you! Are you excited? When is it?"

"Haven't set a date yet," Luna shrugged, back in her element as she twirled her hair. "I'm hoping for fall. It's our favorite season!"

"So you're in the Anissa club?" Molly joked. Even though the doctor had proposed a year ago, the couple still hadn't set a date. _Talk about taking it slow._

"No!" Luna characteristically stomped her foot in a huff. "The Mayor Hamilton's taking care of things. I think he likes the fall idea, too… So, _no_, I will not wait a year to get married! Absolutely ridiculous – I'd sooner take his block off than let him lead me on like that!"

Molly was laughing and shaking her head, gasping out apologies for offending her. "Wait, wait, when did this all happen? When did he propose?"

Luna made a grimace. "Um, yesterday."

"Whoa!" The farmer nearly jumped. "I had no idea it was so soon – that's great! Wow…"

"So, I never thought I'd say this, but can we pick up this stupid dresser? I don't want to be in the sun anymore – I think I'm starting to burn…" Luna grumbled, eyeing her arms and rotating them around.

"Oh! Sorry!" Molly apologized, taking her end. "Okay, up!"

The girls finally got the last of it over the bridge and into Julius' house. On the way back to Molly's house so Luna could get her dress back, the tailor finally wheedled the whole story out of her friend. It was a strange conversation as Luna tried to get Molly to open up and Molly tried to ask questions about the wedding. By answering a question and asking one, Luna was eventually well informed.

"No, no, it's totally fine. I completely understand," Molly nodded, heading for the door to her house. Passing the cherry tree outside, she had a slight start remembering she was lying under it just that morning. In a totally different world.

"Are you sure?" Luna asked for the third time. "If you're upset, I'll gladly make Candace scoot over a bit. I'll totally have two Maids of Honor."

"No, that's something special for your sister," Molly insisted, turning the knob and pushing the door open wide. "I'm just happy I get to be a bridesmaid…"

Luna watched Molly nervously as the other girl's eyes scanned the room. Everything Julius owned was gone. During the move, they had managed to reposition Molly's room like it used to be. The vanity mirror wasn't the first thing she saw anymore. It was the back of her television. And the kitchen table in the center of the room. Just like old times.

Before Luna could say anything, Molly had a hand to her mouth and water was rapidly filling her eyes. It was seconds before it became a choking flood. Luna hurried to support her, but Molly sunk to the ground to sit on the door mat.

"Oh, Molly…" Luna gave her back a gentle rub with her hand.

Molly tried to wipe her eyes, but the sobs grew worse. "I-I d-don't kn-ow-oh why I'm… c-rying! I ju-just—"

"Sh, try not to talk, okay? Can't understand you anyways," Luna lightly teased with a smile. "Here, get off the floor. I'll make you some tea—"

"N-no… tea…" Molly sniffled.

"Yeah, too hot," she agreed with a nod. "Well, I'll raid your fridge. Come sit on the couch, okay? Don't make me carry you – you said I wouldn't have to lift anything after that ugly bureau."

Molly obliged and was led to the sofa. Luna hurried to the fridge and found some lemonade. Opening the cupboards, she was glad to find some gin Molly used for cooking. Taking out two glasses, she spiked them with a bit of the bitter alcohol and brought them over to the couch.

"Th-thank you…" Molly said, much more composed. Her bawling had turned into coughs and gasps with few tears left to cry. She rubbed a tissue over her nose and took the glass.

"No problem, kid," Luna sat down beside her. This was what she had planned on seeing when she first came by. "You look like a mess. But it's kind of inevitable."

Molly gave a choked laugh and took a swig of the lemonade. She nearly spit it out. "Euh… I think it's gone bitter, Luna. S-sorry…"

"Nah, that's just the heartbreak talking," Luna smiled, taking a sip of her lemonade and keeping a poker face about it. "Drink up – you cried out all your fluids."

Molly laughed again and took a larger gulp this time. She kept it down and calmed considerably.

"So…" Luna began in the quiet. Normally when she was over, Molly would play some of her records for her. She enjoyed those. The silence was rather daunting. "It's about time you let that out."

"It was so strange…" Molly mumbled. She shook her head and finished off her lemonade. "It just didn't hit me until I walked in… and it was like he was never here. Like he… he was _dead_."

Luna nodded, finishing her own lemonade. "I hate alcohol."

"Me, too," Molly agreed. "Is that what you put in this? Why'd you drink it, too?"

"Well, I thought it'd calm you down – which it did. But I know you hate it like I do, so… eh, let's both suffer."

Molly leaned her head on Luna's shoulder, staring at her blank television. "You're such a good friend, Luna. Thanks… so much."

"Hey, you'd do the same for me," the girl said. "Well, hopefully you won't have to. If I break up with Gill now, I'd be trying more alcohol than this."

The laugh came out with a snort.

Luna stood, letting Molly plop onto the couch cushion. She set her glass on top of the TV. "Do you want me to stick around? I can chase him off for you."

"No," Molly answered firmly. "No… You know, I don't think you'll have to. I don't think he's coming back tonight…"

Luna eyed her curiously but left it up to intuition. She shrugged. "Hm… Okay. Well, do you want me to hang out for awhile? We can do something fun to get your mind off of things."

"Actually…" Molly sat up, looking around in a daze with blotchy eyes. She still held her empty glass. "Would you mind so much if I just hung around… by myself? I'd like some time alone…"

The blue eyes became slits as Luna put her hands on her hips and examined her farmer friend. "Hm… You're sure you're okay?"

"No," Molly shook her head again. But she smiled. "I'm not okay. So I'd like to get okay again."

Luna nodded, satisfied. "Good answer. Just don't become an alcoholic. Or a druggie. And if you try to kill yourself, I'll kill you."

Molly giggled. "That's counterintuitive."

"Don't use big words you don't know," Luna sniffed. She gave Molly's hair a ruffle with her hand. "Okay, take care. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, Luna."

Luna picked up her dress and left in Molly's clothes. Molly waited for the door to close before she pulled herself up.

During her big cleaning spree, she had come across a box beneath her bed. She didn't have the chance to go through it, and now that she thought about it, she started to dread that something of Julius' could be inside. And she didn't want to cry like that in front of Luna again.

_Better take care of it now…_

Molly knelt by the bed and reached underneath. The flower print wrapping paper shimmered slightly. She pulled the lid off and her heart skipped a beat.

She had completely forgotten the letters. They were from her parents – back before she got that cheap cell phone. It was the only way she could communicate with them. With the phone though, the reception was bad… Molly rather missed the letters. But the ones that caught her attention were from Mrs. Clarence. There were only two. One was sent before Molly moved to Harmonica Town. It was a simple parting letter. Good luck and all that. The second was very long. And Molly would never tell a soul what was written in it. For it was the last letter Mrs. Clarence wrote to her before she died.

Molly's eyes filled with fresh tears as she picked up the old envelope. It didn't look four years old. Or was it five now? Being shipped once and kept in a box, the white was still bright and the ink was still clear and dark.

Her parents would still regularly visit the old woman's grave. It turned out Mrs. Bethany Clarence didn't have any living relatives except for an estranged daughter who showed up to pay for the funeral and disappeared again. Molly desperately wished she could have been that daughter. She loved her parents, but Mrs. Clarence was special. It was still difficult to accept she was gone. They always talked about her like she was still there… in that old dance hall. Clapping in time with Molly's step exercises.

Molly wiped away the falling tears before they hit the paper. She remembered what she told her that day. "_…you have a good heart, Molly. A beautiful heart." _Molly hoped her old dance instructor would have approved of her life. That she would be proud. Even now. When that heart was breaking.

She looked back down into the box. The Polaroid camera Julius had given her was clunky, but it fit nicely in the box. Molly set the letters down next to her and pulled out the black camera. She inspected it, trying to remember how it worked.

Looking back down, the corner of a photograph caught her eye under a letter from her parents. Removing all the letters exposed a handful of pictures. The first was a lop-sided photo of her farm house.

Molly stared in wonderful nostalgia as she saw a blurry photo of the ocean, some sort of bird's eye view of one of her corn stalks, and a snap shot of her field and barn. She found a dark picture of the sunrise as well – it had turned out poorly.

She laughed aloud when she found the picture of Julius posing like a goof for her, his hair pushed up and lips pouting. She felt better when she saw the picture she sneaked of him. It was blurred from movement, but his mouth was parted slightly and he was slouched. Even Julius couldn't be picture perfect all the time… _Speaking of which._ Molly quickly skipped the pictures of herself – the worst being the one when Julius caught her off guard that first time.

The last picture put a heavy lump in her throat. It was the last picture she had taken before she went inside – she could remember it so vividly… Like it wasn't very long ago at all. Julius was looking intently at his easel, his arms crossed and the paintbrush in his hand. He must have just made up his mind what he was going to do, because that becoming smirk was swept on his face.

Molly stared at it for a moment before rushing to put everything back in the box. Slamming the lid closed, she felt she could keep that feeling – the feeling of seeing him smirk at her – in that box. It was safely trapped. She had a strange urge to destroy the pictures but there was a mixed feeling of doubt, and she wanted to protect them from herself at the same time.

She took a moment to feel the wind coming through the window, ruffling her hair. She inhaled the summer air, but it didn't clear her head. The sun was cruelly bright and the birds were singing as if something hadn't just been destroyed.

Sighing, Molly shoved the box underneath the bed and put her palms over her eyes. She leaned against the wall for awhile, knees to her chest.

This was going to be much harder than she thought.


	22. Chapter 22

That last chapter haunted me the entire time I wrote this story. Thanks so much for your input, Accidentally The Whole Fanfic! I'm so glad you think Luna and Julius are so similar - I'm guilty of the same, so I think it really came through in this story. I even used some of the same dialogue between them... I just feel that in the game, they really are quite the same, and it was fun to make it ironic in the story that they couldn't stand each other. Ah, your reviews make me think. I like that. Thanks so much!

There are a lot of time skips in this chapter. That's mainly why I put the question marks after Fall. Sorry if it's a bit confusing!

I was so excited that most of the bugs were worked out of my Microsoft Word that I decided to post the next installment early. Like... at one in the morning early. Well, whenever or wherever it is you are, I hope you enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two  
Fall ?-?-?**

* * *

Molly was right. Julius didn't return that night or the next or the next after that. It seemed they had come to a silent, mutual agreement to stop seeing each other. Period.

Molly was feeling like a smoker who had quit cold turkey. She was restless, constantly bored, and almost always depressed. There wasn't anything to brighten up her day. There wasn't anything new. There wasn't anything to do. Because even though she had ended a problem, she had lost a dear friend.

Luna was very good about filling the gap. She came over every day. Molly was still stuck in the habit for cooking for two at first, so Luna as a guest made it less awkward and sad. Eventually, Molly began to purposely cook for Luna, expecting her soon after five. Having a friend around made the split less complicated but not any less unnatural.

Everything was suddenly foreign. Even her favorite cartoons weren't as funny or entertaining. She didn't want to dance. Molly was fed up with reading, or perhaps it was just her bookshelf in general. For awhile, she blamed her list, and then her hiding spot on the book shelf, and finally came to terms it was always her fault in the end. No matter how she worded it.

The call to her mother was painful. Instead of making the visit home, her parents came to her sometime in early fall. Molly didn't cry in front of them, but it became increasingly difficult as they grilled her for details. Eventually, everyone was back home and up to date again. And Molly felt like she was over-reacting. Maybe it was completely normal. She was just blowing things out of proportion.

But one evening when Luna was over made her change her mind.

"It'll get better," Luna said, wiping her fingers on her napkin. "You just need time."

"I _know_ I need time," Molly grumbled again. She tore her bread apart and dipped it into her soup bowl. "It's just… I don't know how to explain it, I guess."

"Okay," Luna accepted this normal response. She set her hands under her chin and leaned on the table across from her friend.

"What's up with Gill lately? Wedding troubles still?" Molly ventured to change the subject as she finished her dinner.

Luna sighed. "Yeah, the flowers are finally in though. So that's a plus. But I think we'll have to push the date back from the twenty-first to the twenty-fifth…"

"You're getting married on a Wednesday?" Molly asked, forbidding herself from sharing that the twenty-first was Julius' birthday or that he would be turning twenty-six.

"I didn't like the idea at first either, but since… like, nothing's going on that day, maybe we can make it a holiday when Gill's mayor," she shrugged brightly.

Molly rolled her eyes. _As if._ She gave Luna a suspicious look. "Hey, can I ask you something about Gill?"

Luna sat up straighter. She was always on the defensive about him like he was some prize all the girls were out to steal. "What's that?"

"Does he hate me?" Molly asked bluntly.

"Wh-what?"

"He never comes over here even though you're here every day… And from the short encounters I've had with him, he's been awfully cold and quiet. I was just wondering if he didn't like me – it's not a big deal or anything…" Molly trailed off with a spoonful of vegetable soup. Her messy brown hair was piled on the top of her head in a tangled mess. It was an example of how much Molly cared these days. Oddly enough, the look wasn't far from her early seasons on the farm. Like she had gone back to square one.

Luna sighed and slouched into her chair. She gave Molly a mischievous look. "You really want to know, huh?"

"Mmhm," Molly nodded. "Hit me with your best shot."

"We actually kind of… discussed this already," Luna folded her hands in her lap and stared at the ceiling.

"But we didn't—"

"I mean Gill and I," Luna corrected. "Um… Well, this is incredibly awkward. He was right after all…"

"What? He doesn't like me? That's totally fine. I'm not hurt or anything. It just… clears things up at least," she chomped her bread and slouched in her chair.

"Actually, he thinks you're a great asset to the town. You know, since you're like a combination of everything useful in the Flute Fields district closer to the port," she complimented Molly while swiping Julius – something that wasn't appreciated, but taken better now through regularity. "And for awhile he had, like, a major crush on you."

Molly had some difficulty swallowing her bread. Taking a drink of water, she finally gave Luna an incredulous look. "What!? But he never even _talked_ to me!"

Luna wasn't surprised. "That's just how he works. _You_ have to go to _him_."

_What a snot rag._ "Oh?"

"So that's why he avoids you. I guess it's for my sake… Yeah, at first it stung a little, but he said he got over it. Or at least he said he did… He still stares at you, and that kind of bothers me."

Still stuck on her own density, Molly paused. Her over-sized sweater drooped off her shoulder. "Wait, but… I… You know… When would he stare at me?"

Now she was getting huffy. "I don't know – festivals and stuff. He admires you, I guess. So do you feel better? He definitely doesn't _hate_ you."

Molly wasn't going to push it. Though it was very flattering and it sky-rocketed her self-esteem that someone as handsome and 'high up' in politics like Gill would be remotely interested in her, she wasn't going to tread those waters. This was Luna's fiancé after all. So Molly ended it with a simple: "Okay."

They sat quietly for awhile as Molly ate the rest of her bread. Neither knew what to say. Normally, Molly would talk about times she had with Julius she was better off forgetting and Luna would talk about how wonderful Gill was and how their wedding plans were going. Now both of those subjects were taboo.

Molly instantly regretted asking Luna. If Gill disliked her, she should have just been okay with that. That was a safe assumption. Now there was this awkward tension that she never knew existed. Though it explained quite a bit now that she thought of it…

"So any new ideas?" Luna piped up, desperate to get the same thoughts out.

"New ideas?" Molly asked, her chair creaking loudly as she stood. She pushed her bangs from her face and started stacking the plates and bowls to bring to the sink.

"Yeah – to cure a broken heart! Was it chocolate? I bet it was chocolate," Luna smiled.

Molly smiled despite the melancholy topic. Putting the dishes in the sink, she took out the soap and sponge and started to scrub. "You know, I don't know yet. I think I'm getting better though."

"You're definitely not talking about him as much," Luna said, tightening one of her pigtails.

She smacked her lips in frustration. "That's good, I guess…"

"Maybe you could try yoga. I hear yoga is very therapeutic. Grandma was talking about it with Irene the other day. Maybe it could help?"

It wasn't a terrible suggestion. "Yeah, maybe… But…"

"But what?" Luna turned and looked over the back of her chair.

Molly stopped washing the plate she was holding, soap covering her hands and the water running from the faucet. "I feel like… I shouldn't be fighting it. I mean, what would happen if I embraced it?"

"You're going to what?" Luna wrinkled her brow.

Molly quickly rinsed her hands and whirled around, a smile forming on her face. "Yeah… You know, people have been giving me advice ever since… since the beginning really. You, my parents, Kathy, Ruth, Anissa – but I just had a revelation… enlightenment."

"Oh. Well, what have you been enlightened to?" Luna asked with heavy sarcasm.

Her confidence grew anyways as she dried her hands on the dish towel and leaned on the counter. "That no matter what anyone told me, I always followed my heart in the end. What I thought was best. And it worked. It was never perfect, but…" Molly's bracelet snagged the towel. She carefully untangled it, setting it straight. "It worked. No one knows exactly how I feel except for me. So logically, no one knows what's best. Except me. So why shouldn't I do exactly what I want? Right now?"

Luna chose her words carefully, biting her cheek. "Hm… okay. What do you want to do?"

"I'm going to call Julius," Molly marched for the phone without hesitation.

Luna sprang from her seat with a yelp. Using her weight, Luna snatched Molly's arm and sat on the floor.

"Luna! Let – go!" The farmer dragged the screaming seamstress across the floor towards the telephone. "It's just a call!"

Molly climbed onto the couch while Luna clawed and pulled at her from the floor. "Molly, no! That's the worst idea ever! You guys need time apart! You'll ruin everything!"

"Nope! I'm embracing how I feel. And I feel like talking to Julius. It's been much too long – why can't we just be friends?" Molly asked, dialing the number in the struggle.

Luna threw her foot upwards and button smashed the phone. With a squeal of surprise, Molly clicked to restart and dialed the number twice as fast. "Because that never works! Girls and boys can't just be friends – that's just a fact of nature! You're going to cave and look weak!"

The phone started to connect the lines; the ringing was soft in Molly's ear over Luna's cries. Molly tried to shush her, but Luna started to sing at an obnoxious decibel to drown out any conversation over the phone that might take place.

When the ringing went on, Molly frowned. She slowly put the receiver back in its cradle. Luna stopped her 'la, la, la-ing' with sudden interest. "What's the matter?"

"He didn't pick up," Molly stated the obvious. She bit her knuckles and looked at the clock. Luna fell back in a heap on the sofa, exhausted from putting up a fight. "Hm… he should be home though… Unless he's at the bar."

"Julius drinks?" Luna sat up suddenly, excited for gossip.

"No, he just goes to see Selena," Molly explained.

"Oh?" She asked suggestively.

Molly swatted at her. "It's not like that – they're just friends. If Julius was anything, he wasn't a cheater."

Luna blew the fringe from her face in disappointment.

Molly's fingers drummed the little phone table. Her messy bun finally slipped out completely. Since she ignored it, Luna stood on her knees on the sofa and combed out Molly's hair with her fingers.

"So he didn't answer. So what?" Luna asked, taking the hair tie and started a French braid.

Molly let Luna fix up her hair. "I just think it's odd. There's no reason he shouldn't answer… I just don't like it. I've got an uneasy feeling…"

"They're just nerves," she shrugged. Luna pulled a bit hard, and Molly winced. "Stay still! I'm almost done!"

"Oh, Luna, I'm really worried," Molly bounced in her seat impatiently. "Something's not right. I know it."

Luna noted her friend was getting goose bumps. She wrapped the elastic tie around the tip of the braid and gave Molly's back a pat. "Don't work yourself into a fit over nothing. I'm sure you're just—"

"It's not nothing!" Molly insisted, quickly jumping off of the couch. She was already at the door, pulling her boots on and tucking the laces in so she wouldn't have to tie them.

"Molly, where are you going?!" Luna shrilled. She grabbed her coat, pulling it on as she ran to catch up with her friend who was already jogging down the hill in the dark. "Hey! Wait up!"

Molly started to run, so it was difficult for Luna to keep up. The farmer's boots thumped heavily against the hard packed dirt path. The stars were out, but there were too many clouds. It was nearly impossible to see. Molly cursed herself for forgetting her flashlight.

"Molly, if you don't slow down, I'm going to throw a rock at you!" Luna threatened from behind.

"We both know how well you aim!" Molly retorted but acquiesced. She slowed herself to a stop before the giant stone bridge that led into Flute Fields. Panting and heaving, Luna finally met up with her friend. She threw her hands on her knees for support, trying to regulate her breathing.

"Sorry, Luna," Molly panted, pushing the bangs out of her face. She had been neglecting cutting them and now they were almost always in her mud colored eyes.

"Sorry my foot!" Luna retorted, bringing herself back up. "This is ridiculous! Let's… Just go back…"

Molly shook her head, hand still on her forehead. She dropped her arm and looked out across the river. The water wheel blocked most of Julius' house from view, but she could see the lights were out. "No… If you don't want to come, it's okay. But I'm going."

Luna glared. "Fine… I'm coming, too. You crazy idiot…"

Walking now, the girls crossed the bridge. Molly's loose boots were clunky, and she nearly tripped into Luna coming off. She hugged her shoulders since she only had the loose sweater and thin pants to keep her warm.

Julius' house was completely dark. They stopped on the path just outside of his yard. Luna pointed an accusing finger at the painted front door. "See? That's why he didn't pick up – he's just asleep!"

Molly shook her head. "No, it's only seven something… Julius never goes to bed that early."

Despite Luna's final protest, Molly bravely went up to the door. She bit her lip nervously as she lifted her hand. Molly quickly turned around, changing her mind. Just as quickly, she turned back around, gave a sharp rap, and ran back towards Luna.

Luna grumpily turned Molly around to face the door. "You're not a third grader playing ding dong ditch," she scolded. "If you're going to knock – _knock!"_

Molly nodded and went back to the door. This time she knocked a few times. The echoes rang throughout the house. There was no answer.

"Maybe it's like you said…" Luna shrugged, coming up beside her. "He's probably at the bar then."

Molly bit her lip again, her feet moving across the grass. "It still doesn't feel right…"

"Molly, what are you doing? That's so not okay!" Luna reprimanded in a harsh whisper.

Molly pressed her hands against the window, peering in underneath them. She squinted her eyes, but she couldn't see much in the darkness. "Hm… That's funny."

"Get away from there – what?" Luna's curiosity got the best of her. Instead of pulling Molly away from the window, she pressed her face to the glass next to her. "What do you see?"

"That's the thing – I can't see that painting," Molly mumbled. She pointed towards the corner of the dark room. "There used to be a painting there, but I can't see it now."

"Well, then he moved it," Luna rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's get out of here. This is creepy."

Molly ignored her friend one last time. She went to the door and knocked again. She waited a second before trying the knob.

"Eep! Molly!" Luna scolded again. She tip-toed across the grass back to the front door to join her.

"It's not locked," Molly said darkly and swung the door open wide.

Before Luna could say anything, Molly switched the light on. Luna gasped.

"He's not here," Molly said. Her eyes roved the room, her heart beating faster.

Everything was gone. Permanent fixtures like the cabinets and the kitchen table and chairs remained, but everything else was cleared out. There were no more dishes or rugs or paintings or red roses in vases. And by the amount of dust, it was obvious the place hadn't been touched for quite a good while. When Luna checked the bedroom, she came out with the same story. Only the bed and desk were left.

Molly didn't say anything. She lingered on the stoop.

Luna put her hands on her hips in confusion. "He's gone?"

* * *

"I wanted to call you a coward."

Julius smirked, pulling the bag higher on his shoulder. "That wouldn't have surprised me though."

Selena shook her head, finding it hard to smile back at him in her usual sassy way. Hayden was putting up chairs around the room, and Kathy had the broom out. It was almost two in the morning. The last customers had finally left, and only Julius remained behind. Selena found it curious that he was coming by so late, but she wasn't expecting the reason to be goodbye.

"I'm actually… surprised," the dancer admitted, taking off her feathery headpiece. This week's theme was the circus because of the show that had just come through the previous weekend. Summer was nearly over. Fall would begin in the next few days. "I never took you seriously, I guess."

"Well, when I come back, I'll be more fabulous than ever," Julius said, pushing a hand through his hair in a ridiculous gesture. Because Selena didn't laugh like she usually did, he put on a serious face. "You've been a good friend, Selena. I hope to call you the same when I come back."

"You'd better come back," Selena threatened without looking at him. "Honestly, how rude! Now who am I going to vent to?"

"I'm sure you'll find somebody."

"I doubt it."

They were quiet for a moment as Kathy passed by with the broom. She was busy cleaning and she was exhausted, so she didn't bother listening in. When she passed, Selena let out a sigh.

Julius lifted the girl's chin, inspecting her face. "Are you _sad?_"

"No!" Selena quickly denied, pushing him away. "Just don't be forever about coming back, alright? I might miss you or something…"

Julius chuckled. "Never fear! My return is certain! Find a dashing young man in the meantime."

"You're so over-dramatic," Selena muttered, crossing her arms. "It's incredibly annoying… But, fine, I'll miss it all the same, you bastard. And you know as well as I that there are no decent guys in this town."

"Well, not anymore~," Julius teased, showing off his travel bag. He cleared his throat and held out his hand. "But you may still be surprised… All of my stuff is on the ship, so I'd really hate to lose it standing around here all night. Until next time, fair Selena?"

Selena eyed his hand with a raised eyebrow and a haughty expression. She couldn't keep the ruse up though. Her eyes watered and her lip quivered, so she forcibly hugged him tight around the middle, her face in his shirt. "I fucking hate you."

Julius patted her back with his only spare hand. Selena quickly left him, wiping at her eyes. "Learn some new words while I'm gone, alright?"

Selena laughed and gave him a shove towards the door. "We'll have to find out – come back soon, diva!"

"Sure thing, slut."

"Slut-shamer!"

"Bad example!" Julius waved over his head.

The doors swung shut behind him. Selena laughed to herself while Hayden and Kathy stared curiously – they didn't miss those last parting insults. She ignored them, shaking her head. "Goodbye, stupid…"

* * *

Molly had a lot of thinking to do.

She sat at her kitchen table with a cold cup of herb tea in the nearing winter weather. And a piece of paper out in front of her. And a pencil in her hand.

The last time she wrote something, it had been the straw that finally broke the back of everything she had. And she had torn it to shreds. But she was ready to find out who she was now. Become something new. Live again. Maybe even love again.

But there was something she had to do first.

She didn't know where in the world he was. The more she pondered the idea, the more she didn't want to know. His mail still continued to file into Castanet though, so Town Hall had to know a forwarding address. And she was determined to put this in with the bunch. With a sapphire bracelet in the envelope.

_Dear Julius,_

_You know as well as I that I'm no good at talking. I stutter too much, and I always make a fool of myself. Besides, this was really the only option anymore. Since you left._

_At first, it hurt; I admit it. There was a nagging… feeling that I had. That we would still be friends somehow. But I now know it's impossible. _

_You were an enormous part of my life. The more I think about it, the more sure I am that we made mistakes, but we were just never meant to begin. I guess we both fought the odds anyway because we're rather stubborn people. For all the times we argued our differences, we were rather the same all along. I'm glad we fought, even after everything. You changed my life. For the better. And for that I am grateful._

_I have also begun to come to terms with myself. And no matter how much you protest, I want to apologize. I want to apologize for never really letting you know who I was. Because we could talk for hours but never say anything real. I'm sure you understand._

_Like… I never told you that Mrs. Clarence was dead. And that scarred me. Or that I didn't like your television show because I thought it was vapid. Or that I am allergic to most of those flowers you put around the house. Or that I don't like the color pink. I used to dislike purple, but it feels nostalgic now. _

_I'm sorry I never talked enough. About how I felt. What I was thinking. Because no matter how hard I try to lie to myself, I know I led you on. Because it was easier that way._

_But, hey, I gave you a fair warning. I was new to all that 'stuff.' And you wouldn't leave me alone. So I guess we're both to blame in a way…?_

_I wanted to tell you that I loved you, but I hated myself. I couldn't be who I am. At least not when I was loving you like I was. I know that now. But now I have to find out who I am, and I need to do it before I can properly give my love away._

_Again, it was a learning experience. And I'm sorry that it had to be you that I screwed up with. I keep wishing that it was someone else, and I could've met you in the end and everything would've been alright, but… Well, you know. _

_I wrote this to get my thoughts on paper. But also because you deserved to know. I really loved you. I love you still. But not how I used to. I hope someday I can see you again, and we can drink herb tea and I can try on all of those outfits that you need to sew and then we can watch Harvest Squadron Sprite Rangers. Just because._

_I want to let you know… In all sincerity… Thank you. For everything._

_Love,_

_Molly_


	23. Chapter 23

I feel like this is the point where you all start to hate me - if you don't already! It's no spoiler that these last two chapters are grossly short. But I really, really like them. Time to see if you do, too? Sorry for the roller coaster. Only one more chapter to go. Thanks for riding - I'll hopefully see you in another story of mine! :D

Oh! And see if you can pick up on some... hints. I really don't want to give anything away, but maybe you can piece together part of the end before I post it. They're especially strong in this chapter, I think, but the whole story has been pushing in a particular direction. ...I'm probably just speaking gibberish to you. Never mind me - see you in the finale! xD

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three  
Sunday, Fall 1****st**

* * *

Molly walked up the hill with a spring in her step. The leaves were just beginning to turn from deep green to soft yellows. The reds and oranges and browns were reserved for later in the season. The grass was already beginning to dry to a beige color.

She had the most profitable summer season she had ever had. Looking up at her farm, Molly swelled with pride seeing her freshly renovated house. She had a whole extra room now, and the ugly siding was replaced with clean tan boards. Her roof was painted a vibrant blue like the sky. And clenched in her fists were brand new bags of fall seeds. Molly determined if she could keep her profits up, she could build an upstairs by next spring. She was improving. She was progressing. She had never been more excited to be a farmer.

The girl hummed to herself and twirled around happily up the path. She passed the cows and sheep and chickens in the yard. She passed the cherry trees and her empty field. Molly decided on a quick lunch and then – work.

But someone was sitting on her porch.

Molly stopped dead in her tracks. Like a deer caught in the headlights, she fumbled with the burlap bags holding hundreds of blue mist flower seeds. One fell from her arms with a thud. "J-Julius?"

"And here I thought you had forgotten all about me already," he stood and dusted off his red pants. He flicked his long hair over his shoulder and smirked.

Molly smiled wide and set the rest of the bags at her feet. She didn't know how she was supposed to react, but she acted on impulse and tackled him in a tight hug. Julius hugged her back.

She shrugged away and looked him up and down. "Wow, hi! I wasn't expecting to see you… Where have you been?"

"Here, there, and everywhere," Julius said. He examined a lock of Molly's hair between his fingers. "It's good to see you, doll face."

She smiled again at the old nickname. "Haven't heard that in awhile… It's been over a year."

"Feels much longer than that," he sighed. Julius looked out over her farm nonchalantly. "I see you're doing well. That's good."

Molly nodded, hoping he was the same. Questions buzzed around her head, but she couldn't decide which ones to ask. Her hand found the keys in her pocket and pulled them out. She walked over and smoothly unlocked the door. "Would you like to come in?"

Julius shook his head. "No thank you, I've got lots to do."

"How long are you here for? Is this just a visit?" She asked curiously, rocking back and forth on her trainers.

Julius gave her a sideways glance. His expression was filled with a mischief Molly nearly forgot he possessed. "Any reason you're so interested? Curious as to why I show up on your fancy new porch after a year abroad?"

Molly shrugged. "Of course I'm curious. You left out of the blue and now you're back out of the blue. You're a little unpredictable."

"Always have been," Julius smiled and nodded in appreciation. He leaned against the side of her house and folded his arms. "I got your letter."

Molly blanched before her face heated up. She couldn't remember the exact words of the letter, but the ideas behind it were memorized and taken close to heart. She was still becoming that person she wanted to be today. And it struck her as odd that Julius actually read that. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she always thought it had gotten lost or it was never sent. But now the reality hit.

All she could say was: "Oh."

Julius shook his head, looking down at the ground. "You're a great girl, Molly. I really wish it could've been me."

Molly bit her lip. Her hand found her arm as she awkwardly stood outside her front door.

Before she had picked up the pieces of herself and glued them back together into the person standing before Julius, Molly was in her old farm house with the vacuum cleaner. She glided it across the floor and around the vanity table. It suddenly jammed and protested with a loud crank.

Molly quickly switched it off and laid it out on the floor. Looking at the fuzzy turbines of the bottom, she scrunched her eyes. Not able to see anything, she snatched her flashlight from her coat pocket. Switching the torch light into the vacuum, Molly found a black band spun tightly around the wheel. Molly yanked it out with a grunt.

Holding the black band under the light, Molly recognized the over-stretched elastic almost immediately. Where she would wear a whole plethora of colors, Julius would only wear her black one. It was the hair tie he always used. Lost under the vanity.

Back in the present, Molly changed the subject: "You never liked wearing your hair up, did you?"

Julius shook his head. "Not particularly, no," he seemed surprised she had noticed this. "But I was never very fond of cheese risotto, so make with that what you will."

Molly smiled and shook her head.

Julius pushed off the wall and walked towards her. Strangely, she noticed his fist was clenched like he was hiding something in it. Julius bent down to her level and opened his palm, dangling the sapphire bracelet in her face. It was still as brilliantly bright as when Molly first saw it.

She let out a small gasp, and he smirked again. It was difficult to train her focus past the blue to meet his bright eyes. "I had to come back to return _this_. I agree with what you said. Perhaps it wasn't supposed to last. But it was good… We had a good run, doll face. And I'd like you to have this. If you don't hate me, that is."

Molly took the bracelet and let it slide back onto her wrist. It was awkward to feel it again, but it was welcomed back gladly. She smiled at him, steadily meeting his gaze. "I don't hate you if you don't hate me."

He looked at her curiously. "I learned a lot from you, Molly. I think you're the best friend I have ever had."

"Friends?" She looked at him hopefully from the word, blushing despite their new terms.

"Friends," Julius ruffled her hair.

Molly giggled and pushed his hand away. She playfully punched his shoulder. "It's good to have you back around! That is… if you're staying."

Julius nodded. "That's why I must be off. Aunt Mira called me back. Apparently, I'm actually needed for the shop to function."

"Of course you are!"

He ignored her. "So I have to move all of my belongings back into my little house in the valley. Would you be interested in tea later? I have to impress Sonata Tailor's with some new fall designs if I want their business again. I could use a mannequin."

"You need a doll?" Molly laughed. "Count me in! As long as I can watch cartoons while you sew."

"It's a deal, then~" Julius winked. He waved his fingers in goodbye as he made for the path.

"See you later, Julius!" Molly waved.

"À bientôt, doll face!" He called over his shoulder.

Molly shook her head and collected her seeds. She was really rather hungry now. Looking up at the sky, clouds raced by. Even though the sky was bluer than the deep ocean, Molly knew it couldn't compare with her sapphires. Or the feeling of closure.


	24. Chapter 24

I decided to surprise you with two chapters in a day. Just as an extra thank you for reading this through. :)

Wow, this is it! It's over! Woohoo! I'm so excited to see it all up... I'll have a couple of extras after this if you're interested, but this is the official end of _Joy Division_. Thanks so much for reading!

(By the way, if you didn't see this coming, don't be sad. You would've had to have been psychic.)

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four  
Wednesday, Winter 11****th****  
The Starry Night Festival**

* * *

Powdery snow fluffed up like cotton under Molly's boots. Hers was among the paths of many footprints crossing the stone bridge and winding ways up Moon Hill. But Molly's tracks stopped halfway out.

She brushed the sparkling snow off of the ledge and propped her elbows up. The stars glimmered brightly above her, but no light could compare to the brilliant shine of the full moon. It gave everything a clean white glow that had a blue hue in the night.

Molly sighed. She couldn't help but think of her first time attending this festival. In this very spot. She could hear people chatting away up the hill the same as on that day. She watched the couples starting to find spots to settle down. The cameraman was at the top of the hill. A little boy ran around Kathy and Owen's ankles. The silky outline of Selena was performing a dance for her fisherman date to the festival.

What were her parents doing tonight? Probably the same thing as always. Her father was smoking and her mother was making awful puns. _To see a glacier, one must have good ice sight!_ Hell, she couldn't believe she remembered that one. It was probably the worst of the bunch.

Molly chuckled to herself and looked out over the ocean.

"_Like this, Daddy?" Molly asked, holding up her hands._

_Her father Harold did the same and nodded to her. "Like that, pumpkin. Now – catch it!"_

_Little Molly's gloves thumped together. She was jumping up and down with excitement. "I caught one! I caught one!"_

"_What are you going to wish for?" Harold knelt by her in the snow, clasping a star of his own._

"Courage," Molly said aloud.

Biting her lip, she held out her gloved hands like she was five years old. So new and naïve to the world. So welcoming and young and pure. She would never be that way again, but that didn't mean it was a loss. She had gained so many things. Had learned so much. Had grown and blossomed. She was comfortable in her own skin. Molly threw her hands closed at the first sight of a shooting star with a _thwump!_

"Catch a falling star…" Molly sang softly. "And put it in your pocket… Never let it fade away…"

The Pyrenees puppy snorted at the snow and romped around Molly's feet. She giggled and put her star in her pocket before squatting down. She clapped and the puppy fumbled over to her.

It licked her snow covered gloves as she picked it up. Squirming in her embrace, the puppy attempted to bathe Molly's face as she stood back up.

Suddenly, a hand fell on top of Molly's mousy brown head. She turned around and smiled at Julius before pushing his hand away. She waved, holding the puppy with her other arm. "Hey, Candace!"

The shy girl with the pigtail braids blushed and waved at Molly from Julius' side. Her blue coat sleeves completely covered her hands. "H-How's Baby?"

"She's a little unruly as you can see," Molly laughed. The fluffy white puppy that easily blended in with the winter yipped and reached her nose out towards the passing couple to inspect them. Molly pulled her blue muffler out of the way of the claws.

"Good luck with that," Julius teased, holding Candace's hand.

"Hey, at least she's not a weasel," Molly quipped.

Candace looked worried, but Molly and Julius both laughed. Molly set Baby back on the ground where she started to circle their feet.

"Hey, Molly, Candace! What's taking you so long?" Luna's voice called from up the hill. Molly could see her silhouette waving to them next to none other than her husband Gill, just having finished up his broadcast. "Hurry up, the festival's starting!"

Julius and Candace started to walk up the hill to meet the other couple. Another silhouette on the hill next to Luna waved down to Molly, bandana easy to see even through the dark.

"Hey, Molly, you coming or what?"

"Coming!" She called back to Luke. Molly clapped her hands again, and Baby looked up excitedly. "Come on, Baby! Look! Luke's up there! Come on!"

The puppy raced up the hill like a rocket. Luna's squeals echoed around Flute Fields as the 'slobbery monster' pawed at her dress. Baby found Luke and started to yip excitedly as the blue-haired carpenter clapped and laughed at the dog.

Molly turned back and looked up at the stars from the bridge. Changing her mind, she took her star from her pocket, kissed it, and released it back into the sky. Molly pushed the brown bangs from her face and ran up the hill to join her friends.


	25. Extras : Soundtrack

No copyright infringement intended on any of these songs or artists! Look them up or buy their music on your own - I am not distributing anything but their titles and positive recommendation.

This is a list of songs that inspired me while I was writing. I hope you enjoy the selection! (And try to ignore most of my rambling – so sorry. Bad habit. _Austenese_ – also known as _Dickenson's Disease?_ (No one will understand that…))

* * *

**1: All Too Well – Taylor Swift**

When I first heard this song, I thought it was pretty cold. I mean… wow. A little personal. Pretty harsh. But I was quickly addicted because for some reason, this song gives me limitless inspiration. I credit it for my speed. Without it, I might not have even started this story – or written some of my other ones. So… strangely, thank you.

Because it was such a heavy influence on me, I'm sure if you listen to the song, you'll be able to see this story in it as clearly as I can. Was almost the title! I wonder, what do you think?

**2: I've Got What it Takes – Alex Day**

This finally came out! Yay! Bought it immediately. I used to keep going to YouTube to listen to his live version at Stupid Fest. I absolutely love this song, and I think it fits Molly as the protagonist very well.

**3: Let's Dance to Joy Division – The Wombats**

Obviously, because it's the title! I actually had a rough time keeping it as the title. I went between a million things and finally decided that this was indeed the perfect fit. Because even after everything turned sour and was over, they can love again and always find happiness. Life isn't a miserable mess. I find that really uplifting, and so I wanted it to be a major point I made in the story. This allusion to the song really did that for me. Perhaps if you knew this song going into the story, you could have drawn that conclusion before the end of the first chapter? :)

Also, I love The Wombats, and this song is perfect. I sincerely hope you look it up and listen to your heart's content. It's so quotable. "Celebrate the irony! Everything is going wrong, but we're so happy!" "Let the love tear us apart - I've found the cure for a broken heart. Let it tear us apart." Absolutely in love with this song!

**4: Just Give Me a Reason – P!nk ft. Nate Reuss**

To be honest, I heard this on the radio while driving, and I didn't like it at first. But when it reached the chorus and Nate jumped in, I almost got into an accident because all I saw were Julius and Molly. It gave me an ending to the story – even though it almost put me off the road! I really need to be more careful when inspiration strikes…

**5: Ordinary Day – Vanessa Carlton**

This song is always a treat. It's adorable, and I think it's perfectly matched to the view of Julius behind Molly's eyes.

**6: Like We Used To (Piano Version) – A Rocket to the Moon**

So good! So sad! I love A Rocket to the Moon, and I highly recommend them. This song puts a fist in your gut and rips painful memories out. It's so real and strong.

**7: Red – Taylor Swift**

Another Taylor Swift song? Good gracious she's an interesting songstress. I like this song in relation to Molly and Julius though because of its ups and downs and learning from the relationship. And it's rather catchy, too. That never hurts.

**8: Change My Mind – One Direction**

I love One Direction. There. I said it. Happy? I'm a Directioner. So it was a no brainer that I would be listening to the boys while I was writing, but this song really stuck out. Especially for chapter six (when Molly ran after Julius in the snow? DAW). :D

**9: It's Time – Imagine Dragons**

I just really like this song, and I had it playing on repeat for a few hours. It was responsible for a few of the middle chapters, so I had to recognize it in here somehow. I think it relates best to Molly not wanting to ever leave Castanet and the wander lust that Julius still harbors.

**10: U.N.I. – Ed Sheeran**

Ed Sheeran is lovely. _Such_ a lovely guy. So I listened to quite a bit of him when writing. (Proud Sheerio! What's with all these musician following names? They're so weird and cultish. xD) This song is such a lovely break-up song for Molly and Julius. Anyone catch the hair tie reference? Aaaaaaaaahhhhh. Yeah. Totally did that. This was almost the title, too. So close!

**11: The Only Exception – Paramore**

This song is the epitome of cute. And Molly's never tried a relationship before, but she's willing to give it a go for Julius. Pretty sweet, I think.

**12: All About You – McFly**

This was cited for the 'dancing on the kitchen tiles' reference (chapter nineteen dancing), much like 'All Too Well.' That's… kind of all I have to say about that. xD

**13: Crash – Cody Simpson**

YES. I KNOW. I can't decide if I actually like Cody Simpson, but considering I have ten of his songs, I have to say I do. UGH. I'm sorry, but I really don't like over half of his music. But… a few songs slipped through. I blame this on his Australian-ness. Anyways, this song is really cute and fluffy. So… defeat.

Also, this song got me through writing the kisses (WHICH I HATED). My God, so much hate. So thank you very much, sir.

**14: So – Ed Sheeran**

Yay, more Ed! This chorus is so cute. Nothing but love. This was totally and completely my chapter eight song.

**15: Not Meant to Be – Theory of a Deadman**

The title kind of says enough. "One step forward and two steps back – no matter what I do, you're always mad." That lyric got me through some of the harder, sadder, angsty-er chapters. Good stuff.

**16: White Houses – Vanessa Carlton**

In my top five songs of all time; no question. So of course I replayed _the hell_ out of this towards the end. So much growing up to do!

**17: Take it All Away – Owl City**

This is… probably Adam's only break-up song. He has that one lullaby, but most of his songs are very… not focused on heartbreak. I think that's why I like him so much. But this song is great and powerful, and it's straight off his new album. Well, it's not so new anymore, but I think you ought to check it out if you're an Owl City fan! The song 'Dementia' is perfection. Wow, I advertise. A lot. Sorry.

**18: We Can Work it Out – The Beatles**

Yay, Beatles! But obviously, things didn't 'work out' for Molly and Julius. It was a struggle to write, but I'm glad that they can be solid friends. This was the chapter twenty-one song. Though only by reference – I avoided this song while writing it. I needed lots of sad, serious music. This song is way too upbeat.

**19: Don't Wake Me – Skillet**

"I know I've got to let you go, but I don't want to be alone." THAT. That was _perfect._ Completely the reason why Molly and Julius have such a hard time breaking up even though they know it won't last. Fell in love with this song so fast. Then that switch? "I know I've got to let you go, but I don't want to wake up." Seriously. This song knows me and _Joy Division_ so well.

**20: Just Be Friends – Amanda Lee**

This is a Vocaloid cover. And it's really, really good. The original is sung by Luka, but this version is on the piano, and it's been slowed down. It's really melodic but sad. Kudos to this girl! You can find it on YouTube if you have the time to check. She even gives a free download! (Advertising over, sorry.)

**21: There's a Fine, Fine Line – Avenue Q**

A musical's song? Yes! Because this song is inspirational and excellent. At first, I thought the vocals could be improved, but I really like them now. They feel so much more raw and real. And these lyrics are perfect for the story. :)


	26. Extras : Review Acknowledgements

I know there wasn't much to say since this story was already written, but I really like this method. It cuts stress in half which makes writing much more fun. So I was surprised that people decided to drop reviews anyway. This must really be a great community full of care – I thank you all sincerely, and individually, for your input and interest. Thanks so much for reading, everybody! Love to you all.

If you're familiar with this, just ctrl-F your name instead of going through the list to make it easier on you. If you reviewed before May 24th, you are on this list. :D

* * *

**MorWolfMor :** Thanks for being my first review! I'm glad you picked up on the friction between Candace and Julius. Nothing's one-sided! Well, sometimes love is, but… oh, never mind. I hope you enjoyed how things turned out, even though things got rough. Thanks for reading!

**soo-chill :** I'm so happy you liked how I portrayed Julius. He was so much fun to write! Molly, too. I really like working with shy characters, no matter how frustrating I say they can be sometimes. They're much more interesting to me. I hope you don't hate me for breaking them up! Ah! Thanks so much for your support. :D

**Evil Icing :** I remember you said that I wrote Julius like you would if you wrote a romance story with him as a lead… So will you? I'd love to see him make another appearance as a flirty, slightly perverted, exceptionally romantic bachelor again, and I'd love to see you take a swing at it! Your compliments were absolutely lovely. Couldn't be happier. Thanks so much for taking the time to review, and I hope you liked the ending!

**ArtificialRoses :** Thank you so much for your input – I'm glad you like JuliusxMolly so much! Now that this story is done, I'm going to miss them… Even though that's probably hard to believe since I so viciously ripped them apart. ;-; I'm a big fan of your story _When I Walk with You_, so it was a real treat having you as a reader. Thank you so much!

**Depersonalization :** I hope the updates were fast enough for you! xD Sorry to keep you on edge. I loved your enthusiasm. Thanks so much for being a part of the adventure!

**Guest :** Rather a vague name, but hey; what can you do? Thanks so much for your review! :D

**ash :** Are you Guest? Eh. The world may never know! Thanks for all of your support! When you said '10/10' I heard PewDiePie's voice say it. Because I watch too much YouTube. (If that didn't make any sense to you, ignore me, thanks.) I'm so glad you took the time to review. Thank you!

**soapydishes : **You never cease to make me laugh! You've also got quite a knack for reading into characters and picking up on the little things. That gave me endless joy. I really can't thank you enough for sticking around! You're an absolute joy to have as a reader and reviewer – thank you so much! For your enthusiasm, your humor, and your caps lock. ;)

**IslandGirl892 :** Wow, it's great to see a returning reader! I'm so glad you've read some of my other stuff. Means the world to me! I really hope you enjoyed this story – thanks a million for reviewing!

**Accidentally The Whole Fanfic :** You reviewed so loyally; I love you to death! xD Always with something interesting to say and a handful of theories and good criticisms and observations. It was an honor having you as a reader and reviewer, and I thank you so very much for all of your time and input. I really hope things worked out for you in the end to enjoy the story. I'd hate to disappoint…! Again – thanks so much! :D

**DesertRoseSparty :** You're so sweet! It means so much that you're still around from reviewing _Her Scarlet Letter_. That's so awesome! Thanks for going out of your way to review me again. I loved your input, and I'm so glad you liked Molly's music tastes. Kind of mine, too. :) Hope you enjoyed the story!

**walomadolo :** Three things: I hope you didn't pull your hair out, you didn't die, and the ending didn't make you turn into a sad puddle of disappointment. I'm glad you enjoyed the happier chapters, if anything. Thank you for reviewing; you're too kind! :D

**SacredRoseDream :** Your reviews are so poetic. I hope that you found the ending happy even though things didn't turn out like the characters hoped they would. Thanks so much for your kind criticisms, and thanks for reading!


	27. Extras : FAQ

This is a little questionnaire I did to answer anything that might have been nagging at you as a reader. I made these questions based on ones I felt weren't completely answered, things that I felt needed to be cleared up, and based on questions people actually had while reading. So here we go! :)

* * *

**1: Okay, what was going on between Julius and Selena?**

Honestly, that's completely up to you. Though I didn't mean to at first, I felt that Selena had a one-sided affection for him. She considered him a friend as he did her, but towards the end, I think Julius meant more to Selena than she realized. Still, nothing is set in stone with these two. And I like it that way.

**2: What did you do?! That ending! WTF, woman?!**

I knew everyone would hate me for this. If I was a reader, I would've been livid. Sorry… Kind of? My whole goal was realism. Even though there were some stretches, I think I like this best because it's something that's actually feasible. People don't always come to say that final word. They aren't always brave enough to step up and make a change. And time heals all wounds. So I really wanted it to end on this off note. A year has passed and as you have seen in the story, a lot can happen in a year. So we were absent for a year like Julius, and we don't know what's been going on. We're in his boat. But then two seasons pass without us where we see nothing of anybody. So much has changed! Molly finally got the dog she wanted, Gill and Luna are married, Julius and Candace are dating, and… apparently Luke and Molly have a thing, too. We don't know anyone's thoughts on anything, really... We don't know if Luna or Molly accept Julius and Candace being together. We don't know if Luna and Gill are struggling with their new marriage. We just don't know! And I really wanted there to be unanswered questions. Leave you all thinking and deciding on an ending of your choosing depending on how you personally think things worked out.

The reason I did this was pretty sneaky. I wanted to show how people can go through so much pain and confusion and drama, but with time, everything can be alright. People are strong. They fix themselves. They get back up. They change. So even though while we focused on a short era in their lives, we can see that it wasn't the end of the world that it felt like. It wasn't the greatest joy they believed it to be. And therein lies the joy division.

**3: Is any of this based on fact? **

I kind of lied at one point. When I said that the only attributes Molly had of me were her love of summer and her taste in music, I left out one other. It's an uncomfortable topic for me, but I was teased for my teeth in school. Though I obviously dramatized Molly's experiences with bullying, most of her situations were based on some kind of personal experience. So yeah, I've heard 'squirrel girl' before.

Something that was completely by accident was Mrs. Clarence. She was completely fabricated but for some similarities she shares with my Nana. Her death was an underlying fear of mine for my own Nana that I didn't mean to represent but did anyway.

Also, I_ really_ didn't mean to (as I started ideas for this before it happened), but I wound up basing this slightly off of a friend of mine and her recent break-up. They were good people in all respects, but they couldn't agree. They had to end. Talk about inspiration.

**4: Why couldn't Julius and Molly be together in the end? **

I feel like they could have, but they were both full of serious mistakes and one very important likeness – they didn't know themselves. And by the end, we saw that they didn't really know each other at all. So yeah… from the beginning, they were going to break up. It was the point of the story. Sorry!

**5: Molly was a very inconsistent character. Any reason? **

That was another difficult thing to tackle. How she changes and fluctuates throughout the story as she learns more about herself and the people around her. Originally, her shyness was a hindrance to her social life. But when you thought it had disappeared, it was still there. It was an underlying problem that prevented her from important communication. I hoped that her banter in the end foretold she was getting over that part of her. That Molly could gain confidence in herself.

**6: Why did you throw that GillxMolly thing in there? **

I am completely guilty. I was looking for some tension to put between Molly and Luna and found it in my favorite character. I love Gill (though I'm more of a GillxAngela person), so it wasn't difficult to play with his affections. So cute. So awkward. Love.

**7: Why were the last chapters so short? **

Going back to an earlier argument, it's all about detachment. This entire story, we've followed mostly behind Molly's eyes. But that was just a couple years of her life. Since we missed out on a whole year, I wanted to use less detail to create the elements of a stranger. Because we don't know her much anymore either. It's bittersweet, but… it's kind of how life works. And that gives me closure somehow. I hope it does the same for you, too. :)

**8: Whatever happened to -insert name here-? **

Huzzah, same answer to a slightly different question! It's all up in the air – your guess is as good as mine. We just don't know. Unless we follow them relentlessly, we'll never know. And as this is where the story ends, it appears the latter is our option.

**9: Wait, did Selena end up with Toby…? **

Soooo guilty here. It seems psychotic to most people, I suppose, but this is one of my favorite crack pairings. It just makes so much sense to me. It's beautiful. I love it. So I will shamelessly throw my support in for them, but again… who knows? (You're stabbing me with your eyes now, I can feel it.)

**10: Was there something with Chase in that first chapter? **

The reason Molly was staring? Though she's a skittish character, and Chase is lovely to look at, I actually based her father's appearance on his. Like an older, nicer version. So I'd like to think that Molly saw a little of her father in Chase outside the bar, and that took her off guard.

**11: Why LukexMolly?**

It's not exactly clear that they're 'together' in the end… They could just be friends…

I'm so evil.

Fine, just this once I'll give you a definite answer. Kind of.

Throughout the story, I placed almost unperceivable hints that Molly's better match would be Luke. I mean, just look at that list she made. Kind of defines the guy. Which I completely did on purpose because I felt like they would have the healthiest bond. So it wasn't completely out of nowhere in the end, but it was still probably a surprise. Or at least I hope it was. Surprises are so much fun!

**12: What was the point of this? **

Wrapping things up, I'll say that the main purpose of writing this story was to show how strong people are. All sorts of people. All people. Everyone has strength in them. So no matter how much it feels like the world is crumbling: whether you're being bullied, someone's criticizing your preferences, your love doesn't look like it's enough anymore, or you're weighing yourself down – you can always overcome. It's never as bad as it first seems, and the better you know and love yourself, the more you can love and enjoy the company of others. Thanks for reading. :)


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